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It has been a good week for Domenico Tedesco's Roten Bullen, who followed up a 2-0 win at VfB Stuttgart with a triumph by the same score over Hansa Rostock in the DFB Cup, a result which earned them a place in the quarter-finals of the cup with only three other Bundesliga clubs still in the running. Their attention will be firmly fixed on their recent revival in the league, however, when they host a Wolfsburg side who have slumped of late, picking up just two points from the last eight rounds of matches. Behind Leipzig's excellent recent form has been the return to fitness of Nkunku who, with nine goals and seven assists, is well on course for making this his best ever season. His name will be one of the first Tedesco puts on his team sheet, though he might not be able to pick Mohamed Simakan after he picked up an injury in midweek. Should he not recover, Nordi Mukiele could deputise in the back three.
Wolfsburg stopped the rot slightly with a goalless draw against Hertha Berlin last weekend, bringing an end to an eight-game losing streak in all competitions, although Florian Kohfeldt's men desperately need more than just a point with the relegation zone now just three points behind them. Kohfeldt's woes have worsened with the loss of Renato Steffen due to suspension. Dodi Lukebakio seems most likely to replace him in the prolonged absence of Lukas Nmecha, while three Wolfsburg players - Maximilian Arnold, Josuha Guilavogui and Kevin Mbabu - come into the game on four yellow cards and will have to tread carefully with the risk of suspension.
Match stats
Nkunku has registered nine goals and seven assists this Bundesliga season. His best single-season combined hand is 18 (2019/20).
Andre Silva has five goals in as many Bundesliga games since Tedesco took charge, compared to his three in 14 under predecessor Jesse Marsch.
Leipzig are yet to record three successive league wins this season.
Weghorst has six goals for the season. His lowest tally after Bundesliga 20 matchdays is seven.
Across the last eight rounds of fixtures, no team has collected fewer points than Wolfsburg's two.
There has never been a goalless draw between the two clubs across their 11 meetings to date.
Probable line-ups
Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) - Simakan, Orban, Gvardiol - Klostermann, Adams, Kampl, Angelino - Nkunku, Poulsen - Silva
Out: Forsberg (thigh), Haidara (Africa Cup of Nations), Halstenberg (thigh), Moriba (Africa Cup of Nations)
Doubtful: Szoboszlai (muscular)
Coach: Domenico Tedesco
Wolfsburg: Casteels (c) - Lacroix, Bornauw, Brooks - Baku, Vranckx, Arnold, Roussillon - Lukebakio, Weghorst, Waldschmidt
Out: L. Nmecha (ankle), Schlager (knee), Steffen (suspended), Otavio (knee), William (knee)
Doubtful: -
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt