Bayern Munich will look to maintain their strong run of form under Hansi Flick when they welcome Bayer Leverkusen to the Allianz Arena in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
The Bundesliga champions remain one point behind leaders Borussia Monchengladbach, while the visitors find themselves ninth in the table.
Match preview
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At a time when several Premier League managers are on the verge of losing their jobs, it must be noted that Bayern's hierarchy belong on another level of ruthlessness when it comes to making managerial changes.
After just three defeats since August, Niko Kovac was removed after just over a year in charge and replaced by Flick, who is set to be in charge until January at least.
The response from the players has been remarkable: in four games since Kovac's removal, Bayern have scored 16 goals and not conceded once, thrashing Red Star Belgrade 6-0 away from home and beating rivals Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in the process.
Such emphatic victories, underpinned by an aggressive, sumptuously crisp mindset in the final third, explain why chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge decided to pull the trigger on Kovac.
As Bayern search for a new permanent boss, Flick will simply encourage his players to adopt the same ruthless attitude when they take on Peter Bosz's side.
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For a club that still has a chance of qualifying from a Champions League group containing Juventus and Atletico Madrid, Leverkusen will feel that their performances in the Bundesliga have been well below par so far this season.
Amazingly, though, there are only six points separating ninth-placed Leverkusen with league leaders Monchengladbach, highlighting the competitive nature of this season's Bundesliga.
Normally a solid outfit, Leverkusen's defeats this season have often come through a kind of internal implosion, as seen through heavy defeats to Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt, or a 2-1 loss to Monchengladbach during which Leon Bailey was sent off.
That said, when all the moving parts are moving correctly, Leverkusen can be a superbly precise outfit, marshalled by key defenders Jonathan Tah and Sven Bender, with exciting youngsters like Kai Havertz causing problems further forward.
Bosz will know that his men, above anything, must keep their cool in the white heat of the Allianz Arena if they are to scalp a result against a team currently in excellent form.
Recent Bayern Munich form: WLWWWW
Recent Bayer Leverkusen form: WLWWDW
Team News
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Bayern's defender Niklas Sule is the club's only long-term absentee after the defender suffered a severe knee injury at the start of the season.
Jann-Fiete Arp and Lucas Hernandez are both out for another month, while David Alaba is unlikely to play as his partner waits to give birth. Mickael Cuisance is expected to return after missing the trip to Serbia in the week due to illness.
For Leverkusen, one big miss will be Havertz, who continues to battle a hamstring injury, although Joel Pohjanpalo has an outside chance of returning.
Mitchell Weiser and Daley Sinkgraven, who have ankle and thigh injuries respectively, are both definitely out.
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer; Pavard, Martinez, Kimmich, Davies; Alcantara, Goretzka, Tolisso; Gnabry, Coutinho, Lewandowski
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Weiser, Tah, Bender, Wendell; Aranguiz, Demirbay; Bellarabi, Paulinho, Diaby; Volland
We say: Bayern Munich 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen
With Flick in charge, you get the sense that Bayern now have the bit between their teeth following a shaky start to the campaign, and will be determined to put on another emphatic display in front of their own supporters.
Leo Nieboer
