How Bayern Munich could line up against Stuttgart

Bayern Munich will be looking to bounce back with a victory at Stuttgart in order to remain top of the table, having dropped points at home to Werder Bremen last weekend.

The 1-1 draw was only the second time Hansi Flick has failed to win a home league match since taking permanent charge as Bayern manager last December, with his side perhaps fortunate to gain anything from the match having had fewer shots on target than a Bremen who routinely penetrated the Bavarians' back-line.

Getting back to winning ways will not be an easy task against Stuttgart, either, with the newly promoted side remaining unbeaten since losing on the opening matchday.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how Bayern could line up for Saturday's showdown with Stuttgart.

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Out: Joshua Kimmich (knee), Alphonso Davies (ankle)

Doubtful: Niklas Sule (unknown), Corentin Tolisso (muscular), Bouna Sarr (unknown)

Click here for Bayern's latest injury and suspension news ahead of this match

Joshua Kimmich and Alphonso Davies remain long-term absentees for Bayern, with neither expected to feature until the New Year due to sustaining meniscus damage and ankle ligament damage respectively.

Niklas Sule, Corentin Tolisso and Bouna Sarr were all ruled out of action ahead of the win over Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League in midweek, but Flick confirmed Sule should be available for the trip to Stuttgart having not featured for his club since the win at FC Koln on October 31.

The Bayern boss would not reveal whether Tolisso would return to the matchday squad against Stuttgart, however, despite the France midfielder returning to training last week. The 26-year-old withdrew from his national team squad on November 15, with Didier Deschamps describing the muscle injury as "nothing serious", but the Bavarians appear to be treating it with ample caution. Javi Martinez is likely to continue at the base of midfield, then.

There is no information available on the extent of Sarr's injury, meanwhile, but the 28-year-old has suffered with patellar tendonitis since joining the club in the summer transfer window, so it is possible the full-back has suffered another flare up in his knee region.

Lucas Hernandez should return to the first XI having recovered from the pelvic bruising he suffered against Bremen enough to appear as a substitute against Salzburg, with Kingsley Coman likely to be preferred to Leroy Sane on the right flank after the France winger's superb headed equaliser last weekend was backed up by him scoring once again in midweek.