Bayer Leverkusen will be desperate to move outside of the relegation places in the Bundesliga when they take on Werder Bremen on Saturday.
The visitors, meanwhile, have performed above expectations after gaining promotion last season, as they occupy a place in the top half of the table heading into the weekend's fixtures.
Match preview
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After four defeats from their opening five league games, as well as an embarrassing defeat to lowly-ranked Elversberg in the first round of the DFB-Pokal, there have at least been green shoots of recovery in the past week for Leverkusen.
Staring yet another defeat in the face when Marco Richter's strike made it 2-1 to Hertha Berlin at the Olympiastadion, Patrik Schick's second goal in two matches rescued a point to ensure that they at least returned home with something to show for their considerable efforts.
Gerardo Seoane's side looked to be heading for another draw against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek, but two late goals from Robert Andrich and Moussa Diaby sparked wild celebrations at the BayArena, keeping alive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages having been defeated by Club Brugge in their opening match in Group B.
Leverkusen's focus must quickly return to domestic matters, though, with their position of 17th needing to be quickly improved. Only a win against Werder Bremen on Saturday would all but guarantee that they do not head into the international break in an automatic relegation spot.
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Following their promotion last season, Bremen may have feared a painful relegation battle themselves, but their early season form suggests that they may possess the ability to avoid being embroiled in one.
However, two defeats in their last three matches may have dampened expectations around the club somewhat, particularly after last Friday night's 1-0 defeat at home to Augsburg in a feisty affair.
Despite dominating possession with 71% of the ball across the 90 minutes, Ermedin Demirovic's 63rd-minute strike for the visitors proved to be the difference between the two teams on the day, with no late goal rescuing Bremen this time having already scored five goals in injury-time this season.
Head coach Ole Werner will have been more than aware that scoring so many late goals is not a sustainable way of picking up points, though, even if it does suggest strong amounts of character and fitness within his dressing room.
The 34-year-old will hope that these qualities can help them gain a positive result against Leverkusen, who should be more fatigued having competed in midweek.
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Team News
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Leverkusen have a significant injury list adding to their problems at present, with Andrey Lunev, Exequiel Palacios, Florian Wirtz, Amine Adli and Karim Bellarabi all ruled out of the clash with Bremen on Saturday.
Seoane will hope that the forthcoming international break will help boost his options thereafter, but in the meantime, he must ensure that his available players do not succumb to fatigue as they continue to juggle two competitions.
As such, Jeremie Frimpong should return to the starting XI having only been utilised on the bench against Atletico, while Mitchel Bakker could replace Piero Hincapie at left-back.
Bremen, meanwhile, will remain without Leonardo Bittencourt, Jean-Manuel Mbom, Eren Dinkci and Dikeni Salifou for their trip to Leverkusen.
Werner could shake things up after his side's disappointing defeat to Augsburg last weekend, with Lee Buchanan and Niklas Schmidt potentially handed starting berths.
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Hradecky; Frimpong, Tah, Tapsoba, Bakker; Andrich, Aranguiz; Diaby, Hlozek, Hudson-Odoi; Schick
Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:
Pavlenka; Pieper, Veljkovic, Friedl; Weiser, Schmidt, Gross, Stage, Buchanan; Fullkrug, Ducksch
We say: Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 Werder Bremen
Leverkusen have looked more confident in recent matches, and we expect their attacking firepower to prove too much for Bremen to handle.
The visitors should cause problems themselves with their front two always carrying significant threat, but they have looked vulnerable defensively this season.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Brett Curtis
