A top-six battle in the Bundesliga takes place at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday afternoon as RB Leipzig play host to Hoffenheim.
The two teams are separated by six points in the table after the first 14 matches, with Die Roten Bullen in fourth sitting two places ahead of Die Kraichgauer in sixth place.
Match preview
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Following back-to-back Bundesliga victories over Heidenheim and Borussia Dortmund, Leipzig claimed their third successive win in all competitions when they beat Young Boys 2-1 on home soil in their final Champions League group match on Wednesday night.
All three goals were scored in the space of just five second-half minutes, with Benjamin Sesko's opener swiftly cancelled out by Ebrima Colley before Emil Forsberg – who has agreed to join New York Red Bulls in January – scored what proved to be the match-winner in the 56th minute.
Marco Rose's side, who had already qualified for the Champions League last 16 before facing Young Boys, will discover their opponents in the knockout rounds in next Monday's draw, but they must first turn their attention back to the Bundesliga as the endeavour to consolidate their place in the top four.
Leipzig, who sit four points ahead of fifth-placed Dortmund following their 3-2 win at Westfalenstadion last weekend, are currently enjoying the longest unbeaten home run of any Bundesliga club having avoided defeat in each of their last 11 games at the Red Bull Arena dating back to April 1.
Die Roten Bullen will fancy their chances of celebrating further success on home soil this weekend, as they have lost only one of their last 12 competitive meetings with Hoffenheim in all competitions and have won each of their last four in the process.
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Hoffenheim ended a five-match winless run in all tournaments when they secured a 3-1 victory against VfL Bochum last weekend, their first win on home soil since the beginning of September.
Andrej Kramaric capped an impressive individual performance with Hoffenheim's second goal either side of Erhan Masovic's own goal and a second-half strike from Ihlas Bebou to help the hosts claim maximum points, despite facing 22 shots from Bochum and boasting just 41% possession.
Pellegrino Matarazzo's side have picked up 23 points from their opening 14 Bundesliga games; only in 2008-09 (31 points) and 2016-17 (26 points) have Hoffenheim ever collected more points at this stage of a top-flight season.
Sixteen of Hoffenheim's 23 points have been accumulated across seven away matches this term, a club record at this stage, but they enter Saturday's contest having failed to win their last two Bundesliga games on the road versus Augsburg (1-1) and Borussia Monchengladbach (2-1).
The prospect of returning to winning ways away from home this weekend could prove challenging for Die Kraichgauer, as they have failed to win any of their last seven visits to RB Leipzig in all competitions, losing each of their last three by an aggregate score of 7-1.
Team News
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Leipzig are still having to cope without attacker Dani Olmo and defender Willi Orban as they continue to recover from respective shoulder and knee injuries.
Summer signing El Chadaille Bitshiabu represented Leipzig for the first time in the UEFA Youth League in midweek following a lengthy spell out with a knee injury, and the 18-year-old could feature in the senior squad on Saturday, while Timo Werner is also available for selection after recovering from a groin problem to feature as a substitute against Young Boys.
After resting several key players for the dead rubber fixture in midweek, Rose is expected to revert to his strongest side on Saturday and recall the likes of Janis Blaswich, David Raum, Xaver Schlager, Xavi Simons and Lois Openda, while Poulsen will hope to retain his place in attack as he attempts to score in four consecutive league games for the first time in his career.
As for Hoffenheim, Anton Stach, Umut Tohumcu (both ankle), Florian Grillitsch (knock) and Ihlas Bebou (knee) are the latest names to join a packed treatment room including Wout Weghorst (muscle), Mergim Berisha, Marco John (both knee) and Dennis Geiger (groin).
Matarazzo has confirmed that Maximilian Beier, Julian Justvan, Diadie Samassekou and Kevin Vogt have not taken part in training due to illness and have emerged as doubts for Saturday, but Kevin Akpoguma is available to return from suspension and is set to start at centre-back alongside John Brooks and Ozan Kabak.
Robert Skov will be pushing to return on the left flank after beginning as a substitute last weekend, while Kramaric, who has seven goals to his name this term, could be supported in attack by Marius Bulter.
RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Blaswich; Henrichs, Simakan, Castello, Raum; Baumgartner, Haidara, Schlager, Simons; Openda, Poulsen
Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:
Baumann; Kabak, Brooks, Akpoguma; Kaderabek, Promel, Grillitsch, Becker, Skov; Bulter, Kramaric
We say: RB Leipzig 3-1 Hoffenheim
A refreshed Leipzig outfit will be confident of extending their winning run this weekend against a depleted Hoffenheim side, who have struggled in their recent meetings with Die Roten Bullen.
The attacking prowess of Leipzig has somewhat papered over the cracks of their defensive frailties of late, and we can envisage their frontline outscoring Hoffenheim once again en route to claiming maximum points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Oliver Thomas
