In their fifth Bundesliga game of the season, Borussia Monchengladbach will hope to avoid losing their fourth league match when they host Union Berlin at Borussia-Park on Saturday.
The hosts lost last time out against Eintracht Frankfurt on September 21 and are currently fifth last in 14th place with three points, while the visitors are sixth with eight points and remain unbeaten.
Match preview
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The home side created few opportunities in front of goal in the first half of their 2-0 defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt, and created no big chances while having faced two themselves.
Though Borussia Monchengladbach performed better in the second half, they still failed to create a single big chance and produced less xG than Eintracht Frankfurt from open play in that period.
In fairness to boss Gerardo Seoane, his side have faced difficult opponents in their opening four league games, including last season's Bundesliga winners and runners-up.
Seoane could point to the fact his side have created the sixth most xG of any team in the top flight, have produced the fourth most shots on target per match and have had the fifth most touches in the opposition penalty area.
However, Borussia Monchengladbach have won just once in their last 10 Bundesliga matches, losing six times and drawing on three occasions.
In fact, the hosts have lost 12, drawn nine and won only four of their last 25 league fixtures and have lost four and drawn three of their seven most recent top-flight games.
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Opponents Union Berlin have started the season well and beat Hoffenheim 2-1 last time out on September 21.
The visitors were particularly dominant in their first-half showing considering they had 60% possession, produced over one xG and limited Hoffenheim to just two long-range efforts.
Die Eisernen have won three of their five competitive games so far this campaign, and while they have scored just five goals, they have kept three clean sheets.
Despite positive results this season, Union Berlin have conceded the second most xG of any team in the division, and it will be interesting to see if they continue to keep opponents at bay.
Manager Bo Svensson's side have failed to win any of their last seven away games in the Bundesliga, and have lost 11, drawn six and won just one of their last 18 top-flight matches on the road.
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Team News
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Borussia Monchengladbach will be without attacking midfielder Yvandro Borges Sanches until December due to a cruciate ligament injury, as well as goalkeeper Jan Olschowsky because of a medial collateral ligament injury.
Simon Walde and Jonas Omlin are also set to be unavailable until November, though Franck Honorat may return in the middle of next month,
Seoane could name an unchanged defence from last time out, so expect goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas to be shielded by a back four consisting of Joseph Scally, Ko Itakura, Nico Elvedi and Luca Netz.
As for the visitors, striker Ivan Prtajin is likely to be out of contention for Union Berlin until November due to a knee injury, while goalkeeper Yannic Stein and defender Josip Juranovic are not likely to return until the middle of October.
Striker Kevin Volland could also miss out, though he is nearing a comeback and will only be absent for a few more days at most.
Wing-back Tom Rothe was substituted during his side's game against Hoffenheim, and he could be replaced in the starting lineup by Leopold Querfeld, who could play centre-back and allow Diogo Leite to push forward into a wing-back position.
Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:
Nicolas; Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Netz; Reitz, Weigl; N'Goumou, Stoger, Hack; Kleindienst
Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Doekhi, Vogt, Querfeld; Haberer, Schafer, Khedira, Leite; Jeong, Hollerbach; Siebatcheu
We say: Borussia Monchengladbach 1-0 Union Berlin
Seoane will hope that Borussia Monchengladbach can make good on their underlying attacking metrics and pick up their second win of the season.
Given Union Berlin's poor away record, the hosts could take advantage, but it would be surprising if they managed to score many considering they failed to create many chances last time out.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
