Bayer Leverkusen vs. Mainz: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Schick has taken his form from last summer's UEFA Euro 2020 tournament into the new Bundesliga campaign. The Czech Republic forward scored his fourth of the season in Leverkusen's 3-1 win over VfB Stuttgart last Sunday, despite his side being reduced to 10 men at the end of the first half following Robert Andrich's red card. Other key components to Leverkusen's fine start to the season are teenage superstar Florian Wirtz and winger Moussa Diaby. Wirtz scored and assisted at Stuttgart, meaning he has contributed to a goal every 30 minutes in the Bundesliga so far this season - a league-wide best mark. Schick is hoping to keep his place despite taking a heavy knock last time out with Lucas Alario on standy. Andrich is set to be replaced by Kerem Demirbay in midfield with Exequiel Palacios and Julian Baumgartlinger still sidelined by injury. Defenders Edmond Tapsoba and Tim Fosu-Mensah are nearing returns, but this weekend may still come too soon for them.

Mainz sit level with Leverkusen on 10 points after the second-best start to a Bundesliga season in the club's history. Bo Svensson continues to work his magic for the 05ers, who made it three games unbeaten with a 0-0 draw at home to Freiburg last Saturday. That clean sheet and draw came despite the absence of captain Moussa Niakhate, who will be missing for the next few weeks with a cal injury. Alexander Hack will continue to deputise in defence. Adam Szalai returned to start against Freiburg but came off at half-time with a knee problem which will rule him out here, with Karim Onisiwo expected to take his place in attack. Aaron Martin is the only other potential absentee for a side otherwise likely to remain largely unchanged.

Match stats

The joint-top scorer with Cristiano Ronaldo at UEFA Euro 2020, Schick has scored in each of the last four games - a first in his Bundesliga career.

The Czech has been ably assisted by Wirtz, who has laid on three of those goals. No pair in Europe's top five leagues per UEFA coefficient have combined more than Wirtz and Schick.

Leverkusen have collected 19 of a possible 21 points from their last seven Bundesliga meetings with Mainz.

Former Bayer midfielder Dominik Kohr could make his 200th Bundesliga appearance. Mainz have only lost one of their 17 games with him in the starting line-up since he joined on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt last year.

Ten points from five games is Mainz's second-best season start ever. The 05ers only relinquished top spot on Matchday 8 under Thomas Tuchel in 2010/11.

Mainz have only lost one of their last 10 away games under Svensson - a 2-0 reverse at promoted Bochum on Matchday 2.

Probable line-ups

Leverkusen: Hradecky (c) - Frimpong, Kossounou, Tah, Bakker - Aranguiz, Demirbay - Diaby, Wirtz, Paulinho - Schick

Out: Andrich (suspended), Baumgartlinger (knee), Fosu-Mensah (knee), Palacios (ankle), Tapsoba (ankle)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Gerardo Seoane

Mainz: Zentner (c) - St. Juste, Bell, Hack - Widmer, Barreiro, Kohr, Lucoqui - Boetius - Burkardt, Onisiwo

Out: Niakhate (thigh), Szalai (knee)

Doubtful: Martin (groin)

Coach: Bo Svensson