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

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Steffen Baumgart has found ways to get the best out of Modeste this season with the talismanic forward finding the net six times already. A third of those goals came in Cologne's last home match in the derby draw against Bayer Leverkusen. The French striker should partner local boy Mark Uth up front to supply the firepower. The duo were unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet in the 2-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund and will be looking to get back to their goalscoring ways. At the other end, left-back Jannes Horn is out, as is midfielder Ellyes Skhiri, leaving captain Jonas Hector to continue on the left of defence and Dejan Ljubicic to screen the defence in the centre of the pitch.

Urs Fischer's side are similarly looking to bounce back from a defeat at the hands of one of the league's heavyweights. Union suffered their first home defeat in over a year when they were beaten 5-2 by champions Bayern Munich last weekend. Seven-goal top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi has been in great form all season and will need to be again at the RheinEnergieStadion if the Berliners are to bounce back - especially if fellow forward Max Kruse doesn't make it in time from his recent thigh strain. Fischer otherwise has a fully sit squad at his disposal, which he will need on the back of Thursday's UEFA Europa Conference League tie at home to Feyenoord.

Match stats

Modeste's six goals this season have come on average every sixth shot. His three finishes from crosses and four from headers are both league highs.

No team has delivered more crosses from open play this term than Cologne (158 - 26 more than the next best). They're also the division leaders for intensive runs (7,417).

The Billy Goats are one of four teams still unbeaten at home in the Bundesliga this season. Their three wins is already as many as they got at the RheinEnergieStadion in the whole of 2020/21.

Awoniyi has been even more clinical, putting away his seven Bundesliga goals from only 24 attempts. Four of those have come in the last four games.

Union have won all four of their Bundesliga encounters with Cologne - the only team against whom they have a 100 per cent top-flight record.

The Berliners' only league defeats this season have come against the top two of Bayern and Borussia Dortmund.

Probable line-ups

Cologne: T. Horn - Schmitz, Kilian, Czichos, Hector (c) - Ljubicic - Özcan, Uth, Kainz - Modeste, Andersson

Out: J. Horn (hip), Skhiri (shin)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Steffen Baumgart

Union: Luthe - Friedrich, Knoche, Baumgartl - Ryerson, Khedira, Prömel (c), Gießelmann - Haraguchi - Becker, Awoniyi

Out: -

Doubtful: Kruse (foot)

Coach: Urs Fischer