Hertha Berlin vs. Augsburg: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Boateng has started four of his eight Bundesliga games since returning to his hometown club at the start of the season, and few were more frustrated last Saturday, the veteran midfielder powerless to turn around a 2-0 defeat to city rivals Union Berlin after coming on for the final half hour. The defeat means Hertha have dropped eight of the last possible nine points in the Bundesliga, and coach Pal Dardai might be tempted to throw another attacking midfielder - be that Boateng or Jürgen Ekkelenkamp - into the mix at the Olympiastadion. Whoever lines up in the Old Lady's midfield is likely to have Stevan Jovetic up ahead of them. The Montenegro striker returned to team training on Tuesday and could start up front ahead of the misfiring Krzysztof Piatek. At the back, Dedryck Boyata serves the third of his three-game suspension, so Niklas Stark is set to lead the team out as they go in search of their first win since beating Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0 on Matchday 9.

Augsburg are in 15th, one place and point worse off than their hosts on Saturday, but they make the journey north from Bavaria to Berlin with a serious spring in their step having downed record champions and league leaders Bayern Munich 2-1 last Friday. Andre Hahn and Mads Pedersen got their goals at the WWK Arena, and Markus Weinzierl is likely to try and keep his team as unchanged as possible. His hand is forced at centre-back, however. Former England youth international Reece Oxford is out with a muscular injury, so Frederik Winther is expected to come in alongside club captain Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, while Ruben Vargas is back in training but most likely not ready to start. Die Fuggerstädter will be keen to shake the Bayern curse: the last six teams to beat the champions have all lost their subsequent league match.

Match stats

Boateng has one goal and one assist in five games against Augsburg, winning twice and drawing once, but hasn't score in the Bundesliga since March 2018.

Piatek seems to enjoy playing against Augsburg: he has scored in - and won - each of his three league matches against them with Hertha.

Dardai has never lost to Augsburg as a coach (five wins, five draws), while Hertha have never lost at home to them in the Bundesliga (four wins, five draws).

With two goals in his last five league appearances, Oxford is Augsburg's second highest scorer this term, behind only striker Florian Niederlechner on three.

Augsburg are without a win in their last 12 Bundesliga away games (two draws, 10 defeats).

Bad omen for Augsburg: each of the last six teams to beat Bayern failed to win their subsequent league outing (two draws, four defeats).

Probable line-ups

Hertha: Schwolow - Pekarik, Stark (c), M. Dardai, Plattenhardt - Ascacibar, Tousart - Richter, Serdar, Mittelstädt - Jovetic

Out: Boyata (suspended), Darida (thigh), Jarstein (match fitness), Klünter (shoulder)

Doubtful: -

Coach: Pal Dardai

Augsburg: Gikiewicz - Gumny, Gouweleeuw (c), Winther, Iago - Caligiuri, Maier, Dorsch, Pedersen - Hahn, Zeqiri

Out: Civeja (pelvis), Oxford (muscular), Strobl (knee)

Doubtful: Finnbogason (thigh), Niederlechner (foot), Sarenren Bazee (knee), Uduokhai (match fitness)

Coach: Markus Weinzierl