North Macedonia vs. Germany: FIFA World Cup qualifying - probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Germany have been in imperious form since Hansi Flick succeeded Joachim Löw as head coach, winning a perfect four from four games, scoring 14 goals and just conceding one. Die Mannschaft were made to work on Friday, though, falling behind to a Ianis Hagi goal against Romania before coming back to win 2-1. The three-point haul leaves Germany sitting pretty at the top of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying Group J, with a six-point cushion on Monday's hosts in second. Bayern Munich pair Serge Gnabry and Thomas Müller got the goals against Romania, and both are expected to start at the Tose Proeski Arena, the latter likely to replace Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus at No.10. Flick, who left Reus's BVB colleague Mats Hummels out for fitness reasons, has few fresh injuries to contend with, although goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer has a groin complaint, with Marc-Andre ter Stegen on standby to deputise once again. Joshua Kimmich should wear the captain's armband in Neuer's absence.

Despite seeing record cap holder, goalscorer and captain Goran Pandev retire after UEFA Euro 2020, North Macedonia have been a credit to themselves in recent months, and remain Germany's nearest challengers in the group after beating Liechtenstein 4-0 on Friday. Schalke winger Churlinov got the fourth goal at the Rheinpark Stadion in Vaduz, and he and Napoli man Elif Elmas will be the players the visitors should be on highest alert for. Regular centre-back Visar Musliu has a knock, so Kire Ristevski is expected to slot in beside Darko Velkovski at the back. North Macedonia beat Germany when Joachim Löw was still coach - any repeat with Flick at the helm seems infinitesimally small.

Match stats

Gnabry scored his 20th goal in his 30th cap. Only three players - Gerd Müller, Klaus Fischer and Fritz Walter - managed more in that time.

In Florian Wirtz, Musiala, Karim Adeyemi and Nico Schlotterbeck, Flick has called up four players still eligible for Germany's U21s.

Wirtz has contributed six goals and five assists for Leverkusen this season at a rate of one every 47 minutes he has played.

Germany have a perfect record of four games played, four won, 14 goals scored, and just one conceded since Flick succeeded Löw as coach.

Although they lost the reverse fixture 2-1 under Löw, Germany are now 60 places above North Macedonia in the latest FIFA World Rankings.

Schalke winger Churlinov featured 15 times in the Bundesliga with parent club VfB Stuttgart last season.

Probable line-ups

North Macedonia: Dimitrievski - S. Ristovski (c), Velkovski, Ristevski, Alioski - Elmas, Kostadinov, Spirovski, Churlinov - Bardhi - M. Ristovski

Out: -

Doubtful: Muslia (knock)

Coach: Blagoja Milevski

Germany: Ter Stegen - Hofmann, Süle, Rüdiger, Kehrer - Kimmich (c), Goretzka - Sane, Müller, Gnabry - Werner

Out: -

Doubtful: Neuer (groin)

Coach: Hansi Flick

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