Arminia Bielefeld vs. Union Berlin: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Bielefeld will be hoping Awoniyi's mini-drought continues, not least after having their six-match unbeaten run ended by Hoffenheim last weekend. Luckily for 15th-placed Arminia, Hertha Berlin - one point above them - and Augsburg - directly below Frank Kramer's side in the relegation play-off spot on goal-difference - also lost. More encouraging still, is the fact that setback fell on the road. In front of their own fans, Bielefeld are unbeaten in five. Better yet, Patrick Wimmer is available again following suspension. The Bundesliga's freshly minted January Rookie of the Month has had a direct hand in Arminia's last three goals. Janni Serra put away a Wimmer assist in the 1-1 draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach, and should keep long-serving striker Fabian Klos - who will leave the club in the summer - on the bench. Defender Guilherme Ramos could deputise for Amos Pieper if the latter fails to overcome a recent concussion.

Awoniyi won't be paying too much attention to the Bielefeld teamsheet. Although enjoying career-best form, with nine goals across 18 Bundesliga appearances for the season, he hadn't scored in three appearances prior to his involvement in Nigeria's Africa Cup of Nations campaign, and was unable to break the cycle in recent defeats to Augsburg and Borussia Dortmund. It's the first time in 2021/22 that Union have lost successive games, and only the second in which they've failed to score in two. Urs Fischer's surprise package are nevertheless still firmly in contention for a second successive season of European football, as one of three teams level on points with fourth-placed RB Leipzig heading into Matchday 23. Left-sider Niko Gießelmann returned to training this week alongside Andreas Voglsammer and Dominique Heintz, the latter's availability particularly welcome given the suspension of fellow centre-back Robin Knoche.

Match stats

Masaya Okugawa is Bielefeld's seven-goal top scorer, while Wimmer leads the way for assists with five.

Arminia have won more aerial challenges (597) and covered more ground (1,765.8 miles) than any team in this season's Bundesliga.

A league-high four of the six goals conceded by Bielefeld since the turn of the year have been headers.

Awoniyi has not scored in five Bundesliga appearances since putting away his ninth of the campaign on Matchday 14.

Voglsammer scored twice in 18 Bundesliga games, and 46 in 138 Bundesliga 2 outings for Bielefeld between January 2016 and summer 2021.

Union are winless in six competitive games in Bielefeld, though five of those have ended in draws, including the last four.

Probable line-ups

Bielefeld: Ortega (c) - Brunner, Pieper, Nilsson, Laursen - Schöpf, Vasiliadis, Castro - Wimmer, Serra, Okugawa

Out: Prietl (ill)

Doubtful: Andrade (ankle)

Coach: Frank Kramer

Union: Luthe - Jaeckel, Baumgartl, Heintz - Trimmel (c), Khedira, Prömel, Gießelmann - Becker, Michel - Awoniyi

Out: Knoche (suspended)

Doubtful: Endo (ill)

Coach: Urs Fischer