Preview: Bayer Leverkusen vs. Eintracht Frankfurt - prediction, team news, lineups

The current league leaders are still yet to taste defeat in 23 games across all competitions this season, but they now face a side who slayed the ultimate giants of German football last weekend.

Match preview

Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen show no signs of slowing down, as they are still going strong at the top and added another win and plenty of goals to their hugely impressive statistics in midweek.

Molde's trip to Germany was a nightmare from the very start, as Leverkusen plundered five goals past the beleaguered Norwegian side to extend their unbeaten start to 23 games - scoring 74 goals in the process.

That came despite Alonso making an array of changes, with none of their big-hitters starting on Thursday, as they completed a perfect Europa League group stage campaign with six wins from six and 19 goals scored.

Bayer have only drawn their last two Bundesliga games, being held by Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart in thrilling encounters, but they are still four points clear of Bayern Munich after they were thrashed by their upcoming opponents last Saturday.

A tally of 36 points from their opening 14 league games equals a club record, but when they set that back in 2001-02, they only managed to finish runners-up.

That first Bundesliga title still eludes Leverkusen, but they will hope Alonso can deliver it this season before he inevitably departs for a bigger challenge next summer.

Leverkusen's next assignment is a clash with Dino Toppmoller's Frankfurt, who have recorded a bizarre set of results recently.

Their 2-0 defeat at Pittodrie against Aberdeen on Thursday was their fifth in six games, with the only outlier being that remarkable win over Bayern last week.

Going into the game on the back of a four-game losing run, Eintracht stunned the champions, but they came crashing back down to earth on Thursday with that defeat in Scotland.

It was the second straight midweek where Frankfurt have suffered a surprise defeat when going into the game as heavy favourites, after they were also beaten by third-tier Saarbrucken in the DFB-Pokal last week.

Despite that poor recent form, Frankfurt are still in a strong position to attack the European places in the New Year after the winter break, sitting seventh, just four points behind Dortmund.

After finding the net just four times in their opening six games, taking only seven points, Frankfurt have tripled their points tally across the last eight games, scoring 20 in the process, helped massively by that win over Bayern.

Bayer Leverkusen Bundesliga form:

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Bayer Leverkusen form (all competitions):

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Eintracht Frankfurt Bundesliga form:

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Eintracht Frankfurt form (all competitions):

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Team News

Alonso rotated heavily for the clash with Molde, so the Leverkusen boss is expected to revert to a similar side that faced Stuttgart last weekend.

There were opportunities for Czech duo Adam Hlozek and Patrik Schick, who between them scored three of the five goals in midweek, as well as for Nathan Tella, Jonas Hofmann and Robert Andrich, who all provided assists.

Youngster Gustavo Puerta was also given a rare start, but the likes of Florian Wirtz, Granit Xhaka, Victor Boniface, Alex Grimaldo and Jeremie Frimpong should all return.

Brazilian forward Arthur is the only known injury concern for the hosts heading into the clash.

On the contrary, Frankfurt have a number of players missing, including Omar Marmoush, who, despite scoring last weekend, also picked up his fifth booking of the season, so will miss out with suspension.

Kristijan Jakic served a European ban in midweek after his sending off against PAOK Salonika, but he is also nursing a calf injury and is set to be sidelined.

Algerian youngster Fares Chaibi will be a doubt due to illness and could join Ellyes Skhiri, Timothy Chandler, Sebastian Rode and Mehdi Loune in missing out.

Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:

Hradecky; Kossounou, Tah, Tapsoba; Frimpong, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo; Adli, Boniface, Wirtz

Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:

Grahl; Aurelio Buta, Tuta, Koch, Pacho; Knauff, Hasebe, Larsson, Gotze, Dina Ebimbe; Ngankam

We say: Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 Eintracht Frankfurt

With the title of Herbstmeisterschaft (winter champions) up for grabs here, Leverkusen show no signs of slowing down, and another win is set to come to extend their phenomenal start.

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