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

The visitors, meanwhile, would climb above their forthcoming opponents with a victory.

Match preview

After dropping back into the relegation places following their 2-0 defeat to RB Leipzig at the end of October, two straight victories since have significantly improved the general mood around Leverkusen.

Xabi Alonso's side ensured that they will compete in the Europa League after the turn of the calendar year by drawing 0-0 against Club Brugge last week, before thrashing Union Berlin 5-0 at the weekend and winning 2-1 away to FC Koln on Wednesday.

Die Werkself appeared to be heading for an eighth defeat in 14 league games after Benno Schmitz had given the hosts the lead on the half an hour mark, but goals from Nadiem Amiri and Moussa Diaby after the break turned the match on its head to move Leverkusen four points clear of the bottom three.

With Stuttgart only one point behind them one position above the relegation zone, putting together a third consecutive win would move them even further away from relegation trouble, and potentially as high as 10th in the table heading into the imminent break for the World Cup.

Stuttgart, meanwhile, secured a crucial win themselves by beating fellow strugglers Hertha Berlin 2-1 on Tuesday.

Dodi Lukebakio's 19th-minute equaliser cancelled out Serhou Guirassy's effort in the third minute, with both teams looking like shaking hands on a draw to remain level on points, but Konstantinos Mavropanos's 98th-minute winner sent the Mercedes-Benz Arena into delirium.

The win was Die Schwaben's third consecutive home win under interim head coach Michael Wimmer, who must feel that, if he can guide his side to a positive result in Leverkusen on Saturday, he would a solid chance of being handed the role on a full-time basis during the World Cup period.

That will not be easy against an opposition growing in confidence under Alonso's tutelage, though, but even avoiding defeat would ensure that they head into the international break above the bottom three places given that Hertha are still only three points behind them in the relegation play-off position.

Bayer Leverkusen Bundesliga form:

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Bayer Leverkusen form (all competitions):

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Stuttgart Bundesliga form:

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Stuttgart form (all competitions):

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Team News

Leverkusen will be without key man Robert Andrich through suspension after the midfielder received his fifth booking of the league campaign in Cologne, with Kerem Demirbay likely to replace him.

Patrik Schick, Sardar Azmoun and Florian Wirtz all remain sidelined with long-term injuries, while Paulinho may miss out due to a cold.

Stuttgart, meanwhile, will travel without their goalscoring hero from midweek Mavropanos, after the former Arsenal defender collected his fifth yellow card of the season before scoring the winner against Hertha.

Dan-Axel Zagadou may replace the Greece international in defence, while Wataru Endo and Chris Fuhrich appear unlikely to make the trip due to concussion and a muscle strain respectively, with Atakan Karazor potentially lining up in midfield.

Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:

Hradecky; Tah, Tapsoba, Hincapie; Frimpong, Palacios, Demirbay, Bakker; Diaby, Hlozek, Hudson-Odoi

Stuttgart possible starting lineup:

Muller; Anton, Ito, Zagadou, Sosa; Ahamada, Karazor, Egloff; Silas, Guirassy, Tomas

We say: Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Stuttgart

There is little doubt that Leverkusen possess the attacking firepower to hurt Stuttgart, who are still awaiting their first league win on the road this season.

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