Preview: Werder Bremen vs. Schalke 04 - prediction, team news, lineups

Werder Bremen could move as high as fifth in the table with a victory depending on results elsewhere, while Schalke have lost six leagues games in a row.

Match preview

After suffering two successive defeats, Bremen returned to winning ways with a 1-0 win against Hertha Berlin last Friday.

Ole Werner's side scored yet another late goal, with Niclas Fullkrug's 85th-minute strike providing them with three crucial points as opposed to one as they moved nine points clear of the bottom three.

Fullkrug's effort - which was the forward's ninth goal in 12 league games this season - was Bremen's 10th scored in the last 10 minutes of matches this season, directly accounting for 11 additional points to their overall tally.

Clearly, they are not a side to ever be relaxed against - especially towards the latter stages of games - with Schalke set for a tough battle at Weserstadion on Friday.

Having finished above Bremen as Bundesliga 2 champions last season, Schalke would not have expected to be trailing them by 12 points in the table ahead of their meeting in early November.

However, six successive defeats have led to Die Konigsblauen dropping to the foot of the Bundesliga, with their new manager Thomas Reis falling to a 2-0 defeat at home to Freiburg in his first game in charge last weekend.

Vincenzo Grifo bagged a brace with strikes either side of half-time, as Schalke managed just 44% possession and three shots on target across the course of the match at Veltins-Arena.

Reis will be demanding a much improved performance on Friday, while hoping that more time on the training ground has helped his methods sink in, but he will be more than aware that they are up against it given the two teams' contrasting form this season.

Werder Bremen Bundesliga form:

D

W

W

L

L

W

Werder Bremen form (all competitions):

W

W

L

L

L

W

Schalke 04 Bundesliga form:

L

L

L

L

L

L

Schalke 04 form (all competitions):

L

L

L

L

L

L

Team News

Bremen will be without Felix Agu on Friday due to a knee problem, while Jean Manuel Mbom remains sidelined with an Achilles tendon rupture.

Werner is unlikely to make any changes to his starting XI having won last time out, with Oliver Burke likely to be called upon from the substitutes' bench should the hosts require yet another late goal.

Schalke, meanwhile, will travel without Thomas Ouwejan, Dominick Drexler, Jordan Larsson, Leo Greiml, Rodrigo Zalazar, Sepp van den Berg, Ibrahima Cisse, Marcin Kaminski and Timothee Kolodziejczak due to a lengthy injury list.

Tobias Mohr will almost certainly replace Ouwejan at left-back, while Simon Terodde could return to the starting XI having been left out against Freiburg last time out.

Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:

Pavlenka; Pieper, Veljkovic, Stark; Weiser, Gruev, Schmid, Bittencourt, Jung; Fullkrug, Ducksch

Schalke 04 possible starting lineup:

Schwolow; Brunner, Yoshida, Matriciani, Mohr; Krauss, Kral; Polter, Mollet, Bulter; Terrode

We say: Werder Bremen 2-0 Schalke 04

We expect Werder Bremen to have too much attacking prowess for Schalke, who have looked hopeless in recent weeks.

They may be determined to put up more of a fight under Reis's new management, but with Fullkrug in excellent goalscoring form for the hosts, they should cruise to another victory.

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