Both teams will be looking to extend their winning streaks when Eintracht Frankfurt host Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Frankfurt have won their last two league games, while Dortmund have prevailed five times in a row to keep pace at the top of the table.
Match preview
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After making a slow start under new boss Dino Toppmoller, winning just one of their opening six league games under the 42-year-old's tutelage, Frankfurt have kicked into gear in recent weeks with wins against Heidenheim and Hoffenheim either side of the international break.
In truth, the latter was a more impressive victory given that it was away from home against a tougher opponent. Die Adler had to come from behind, too, after Maximilian Beier broke the deadlock after just three minutes. Goals from Omar Marmoush, Ansgar Knauff and Ellyes Skhiri all came before half time in response to make the second half a relatively comfortable experience.
Frankfurt returned to winning ways in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, too, with a comfortable home win against HJK Helsinki. This moved them second in Group G, with Toppmoller and his players almost certain to be targeting that competition as a winnable one having lifted the Europa League under Oliver Glasner in 2022.
In the meantime, though, they will be hoping to deliver a statement result and performance against Dortmund on Sunday, as they look to close the gap on the Champions League qualification places in the process.
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However, Dortmund will head to Deutsche Bank Park in a buoyant mood after Felix Nmecha's cool finish helped them defeat Newcastle United 1-0 away from home in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Eddie Howe's side had won six of their seven home games in all competitions this season prior to hosting BVB in midweek, including thrashing Paris Saint-Germain 4-1, meaning the visitors understandably travelled to England as considerable underdogs. Edin Terzic's side were under pressure to gain a positive result as well, having only claimed one point from their opening two games in Europe's elite competition.
Nmecha's strike right on the stroke of half time proved to be the difference between the two sides in an entertaining game, with both teams squandering plenty of chances which they should have taken. The victory moved Dortmund above Newcastle on head-to-head rules into second place in Group F, ahead of the reverse fixture at the Westfalenstadion in two weeks' time.
Domestically, Dortmund have been faring incredibly well in recent weeks, bouncing back from disappointing draws against Mainz 05, VfL Bochum and Heidenheim earlier in the campaign. Julian Brandt's goal settled another tight encounter against Werder Bremen last Friday, and they will be aiming for another clean sheet to help them towards another victory against Frankfurt.
Team News
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Frankfurt will remain without Simon Simoni and club captain Sebastian Rode due to elbow and calf issues respectively, while Kristijan Jakic is still struggling with a knee injury and is therefore unlikely to feature.
Toppmoller's only likely change from last weekend's 3-1 win away to Hoffenheim may be bringing goalscorer Knauff into the side in place of Philipp Max.
Dortmund, meanwhile, are sweating on the fitness of Emre Can after he was substituted before half time against Newcastle, with the midfielder likely to join Brandt on the sidelines. Both Germany internationals are thought to be suffering with thigh injuries, but they should not be out of action for too long.
Salih Ozcan will displace Can in midfield if the former Liverpool star is ruled out as expected, while Karim Adeyemi could come into the visitors' attack in order to freshen things up, having fallen out of favour in recent weeks.
Julian Duranville, Mateu Morey and Youssoufa Moukoko all remain sidelined through injury, with Julian Ryerson not expected to shake off recent illness in time to make the trip on Sunday.
Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:
Trapp; Tuta, Koch, Pacho; Buta, Larsson, Shkiri, Knauff; Gotze, Chaibi; Marmoush
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Kobel; Wolf, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini; Nmecha, Ozcan; Malen, Reus, Adeyemi; Fullkrug
We say: Eintracht Frankfurt 1-2 Borussia Dortmund
Although Dortmund could be missing a few key players through injury if they can not recover in time for this match, Terzic's side have real momentum on their side at present, as well as decent squad depth to cope with some absentees.
Frankfurt have improved themselves in recent weeks, but they do not possess as much quality as they have done in recent years, and we can envisage the visitors claiming another narrow victory.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Brett Curtis
