Borussia Dortmund boss Nuri Sahin will hope his team can pick up their third consecutive win when they travel to Mewa Arena on Saturday where they take on Mainz 05 in their 10th Bundesliga game of the season.
The hosts are 13th in the table with 10 points from nine matchweeks and drew 0-0 with Freiburg on November 3, while BVB are fifth with 16 points and beat RB Leipzig 2-1 on November 2.
Match preview
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The O-Fives created little in the final third against Freiburg, producing just two shots on target in the entire match, both of which occurred between the 51st and 59th minutes.
Mainz are just two points from 16th-placed Hoffenheim, who are third last and occupy the division's relegation playoff spot, although just five points separates Hoffenheim and eighth-placed Stuttgart.
To manager Bo Henriksen's credit, his side have significantly improved upon last season's showings at the same stage given they had collected just three points after nine games in 2023-24, losing six and drawing three.
Henriksen's side have scored 12 times and conceded on 13 occasions in the league, and these records make them the Bundesliga's joint fifth-worst offensive and seventh-best defensive team.
Mainz have drawn their two most recent top-flight fixtures, losing two and winning one of the prior three, and it should be noted that they failed to score in three of those five matches.
The hosts' form at Mewa Arena has been poor in recent weeks considering they have succumbed to defeat in three of their last five Bundesliga games and have failed to achieved victory in their last five at home in the league.
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As for Dortmund, they come into Saturday's clash off the back of a confidence-boosting 1-0 win against Sturm Graz in the Champions League on Tuesday.
BVB were missing a number of key players and had been beaten in three of the prior four matches to their game against Sturm Graz, but Tuesday's victory means the club are now seventh in the Champions League table and occupy an automatic qualification spot.
Sahin's side became the first team to beat RB Leipzig in domestic football when they triumphed 2-1 on November 2 in their most recent league game.
Despite conceding first in the 27th minute, the Black and Yellows were the dominant team throughout, producing 20 shots and creating six big chances while limiting Die Roten Bullen to no big chances.
Dortmund lost the three games prior to their two most recent victories and have won three and been defeated three times in their last six Bundesliga matches.
The visitors' away record is alarming considering they have lost their last five away fixtures, conceding 15 goals and scoring just five times in that period.
Team News
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Mainz will be without centre-backs Andreas Hanche-Olsen and Moritz Jenz until late November but otherwise boast a healthy squad.
The hosts could field a back three consisting of Dominik Kohr, Stefan Bell and Maxim Leitsch in front of goalkeeper Robin Zentner.
Kaishu Sano and Nadiem Amiri are likely to feature in a double pivot, while Jonathan Burkardt may be supported by attackers Paul Nebel and Jae-sung Lee.
The visitors are still dealing with a number of key absentees, including defenders Julian Ryerson, Yan Couto and Niklas Sule, as well as goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Dortmund will also be unable to select attackers Karim Adeyemi, Giovanni Reyna and Julien Duranville, though midfielder Marcel Sabitzer is available once again.
Felix Nmecha is a probable candidate to start alongside Sabitzer in midfield, while midfielders Pascal Gross and Emre Can could be forced to start in defence.
Elsewhere, striker Serhou Guirassy is almost certain to be flanked by Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Maximilian Beier.
Mainz 05 possible starting lineup:
Zentner; Kohr, Bell, Leitsch; Caci, Sano, Amiri, Mwene; Nebel, Lee; Burkardt
Borussia Dortmund possible starting lineup:
Meyer; Gross, Can, Anton, Schlotterbeck; Nmecha, Sabitzer; Beier, Brandt, Gittens; Guirassy
We say: Mainz 05 2-1 Borussia Dortmund
It is difficult to overlook the fact that Dortmund have been poor away from home in recent weeks, as well as that they will likely be forced to use midfielders in the defensive line.
Mainz have a good opportunity to win against a vulnerable BVB side, and it would not be surprising if they managed to take advantage of the visitors' weaknesses on Saturday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
