Preview: Stuttgart vs. Augsburg - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors, meanwhile, are six points clear of their forthcoming opponents in the table.

Match preview

Stuttgart succumbed to a fourth defeat in five league games when they were thrashed 5-0 away to Borussia Dortmund last weekend.

Die Schwaben were three goals down at half time at the Westfalenstadion, with England sensation Jude Bellingham breaking the deadlock in only the second minute before helping himself to another goal eight minutes after the break as the hosts ran riot.

Stuttgart are yet to name a permanent successor for Pellegrino Matarazzo, who was sacked earlier this month, with interim manager Michael Wimmer's case for landing the role on a full-time basis significantly weakened by the nature of his side's defeat in Dortmund.

However, the 42-year-old did guide the team to their first league win of the season in their previous match against VfL Bochum, so he will be hoping that a return to the Mercedes-Benz Arena on Saturday sees them pick up another crucial victory.

Augsburg, meanwhile, are winless in three matches having won three successive league games prior to their recent drop-off in form.

Enrico Maassen would have been furious to see his side surrender a three-goal lead against RB Leipzig with less than 20 minutes of normal time remaining in the match, with Iago's 65th-minute red card completely changing the nature of the game.

Mergim Berisha's penalty had given Augsburg a one-goal cushion at half time before strikes from Ermedin Demirovic and Ruben Vargas looked to have provided the hosts with all three points, but Iago's dismissal for a second bookable offence helped Leipzig stage a miraculous comeback.

Strikes from Andre Silva, Christopher Nkunku and Hugo Novoa saw the visitors rescue a point from an unlikely position, with the latter two goals coming in a dramatic final two minutes of the match.

Maassen will be hoping for a calmer affair away to Stuttgart on Saturday, as he looks to put more distance between his side and the bottom three.

Stuttgart Bundesliga form:

D

L

L

L

W

L

Stuttgart form (all competitions):

L

L

L

W

W

L

Augsburg Bundesliga form:

W

W

W

D

L

D

Augsburg form (all competitions):

W

W

D

L

L

D

Team News

Stuttgart are likely to be without Josha Vagnoman and Pascal Stenzel due to an ankle issue and flu respectively, but otherwise Wimmer has a full squad to select from.

Chris Fuhrich, Luca Pfeiffer and Tanguy Coulibaly are all pushing for starts, with changes to the starting XI probable after their mauling at the hands of BVB last time out.

Augsburg, meanwhile, will travel without Iago after the full-back's red card against Leipzig earned himself a one-match suspension, while Berisha, Mads Pedersen, Robert Gumny, Frederik Winther, Andre Hahn, Rafal Gikiewicz, Felix Uduokhai, Reece Oxford, Niklas Dorsch, Noah Sarenren Bazee and Tobias Strobl are all injury doubts in a full-blown injury crisis for Maassen's side.

With Pedersen and Iago both unavailable, Maassen could be forced to start 17-year-old Aaron Zehnter at left-back with Raphael Framberger coming in on the opposite side of the pitch, while Arne Maier could come into the midfield in order to make the visitors a little more solid.

Stuttgart possible starting lineup:

Muller; Mavropanos, Anton, Zagadou; Fuhrich, Karazor, Endo, Ahamada, Sosa; Guirassy, Silas

Augsburg possible starting lineup:

Koubek; Framberger, Gouweleeuw, Bauer, Zehnter; Maier, Gruezo, Rexhbecaj; Demirovic, Niederlechner, Vargas

We say: Stuttgart 2-1 Augsburg

With the visitors missing so many key players through injury, we can envisage the hosts taking full advantage to claim only their second league win of the season.

Augsburg are likely to be ruing dropping points against Leipzig from such a strong position last time out, and we can see them struggling both mentally and physically until they get more players off the treatment table and back on the pitch.

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