RB Leipzigvs.Borussia M'bach

Die Roten Bullen are second in the table with 20 points after nine matches and were beaten 2-1 by an injury-riddled Borussia Dortmund on November 2, while the visitors are ninth with 13 points and beat Werder Bremen 4-1 on November 3.

Match preview

Leipzig manager Marco Rose will have been concerned that his side failed to take advantage of a Dortmund team that were forced to select midfielders Emre Can and Pascal Gross in defence.

Perhaps more concerning will be the fact that BVB were deserving winners given they restricted Rose's team to less than 0.5 xG and zero big chances.

Die Roten Bullen were also beaten 3-1 on Tuesday by Celtic in the Champions League, condemning them to their fourth consecutive loss in Europe.

The hosts have been excellent domestically this season, and boast the league's best defensive record having conceded just five goals.

Leipzig's overall form in their five most recent matches is mixed having lost three and won two, but they did win the four top-flight games prior to their defeat against Dortmund.

In fact, Rose's team had drawn six and emerged victorious in 13 of the previous 19 league matches, and are still unbeaten in their 11 most recent home Bundesliga fixtures.

Meanwhile, Borussia Monchengladbach were winning 3-0 by the half-time interval against Werder Bremen, and already winning 4-0 by the time Keke Topp managed to pull one back for the Green-Whites.

Boss Gerardo Seoane will be relieved that his team managed to pick up a win considering there were rumours that he could soon be replaced, but sporting director Roland Virkus spoke positively about Seoane in the aftermath of the club's victory.

Die Fohlen have scored 15 times and conceded 14 goals in their nine Bundesliga games this term, and this makes the league's joint seventh best offensive and joint eighth best defensive club.

Over their last three top-flight matches, Seoane's side have won twice and drawn once, though they did lose three of the previous four.

Borussia Monchengladbach's away form is particularly poor, with the team winning just twice in their last 18 Bundesliga games on the road, succumbing to defeat on 10 occasions.

RB Leipzig Bundesliga form:

D

W

W

W

W

L

RB Leipzig form (all competitions):

W

L

W

W

L

L

Borussia Monchengladbach Bundesliga form:

L

W

L

W

D

W

Borussia Monchengladbach form (all competitions):

W

L

W

D

L

W

Team News

Unfortunately for RB Leipzig, key defender Castello Lukeba has been ruled out, as have defenders David Raum and Lutsharel Geertruida.

El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Lukas Klostermann, Willi Orban and Benjamin Henrichs are likely to feature in defence, though midfielder Xaver Schlager is unavailable until January next year.

Attacker Xavi Simons will also miss out, so expect Christoph Baumgartner and Antonio Nusa to flank strikers Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda.

As for Borussia Monchengladbach, they will be without goalkeeper Jan Olschowsky, as well as defenders Luca Netz and Nico Elvedi.

Moritz Nicolas is certain to start in goal, and he could be shielded be centre-backs Marvin Friedrich and Ko Itakura.

Yvandro Borges Sanches is not scheduled to return until December, though forward Robin Hack should be declared fit enough to feature.

RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:

Gulacsi; Bitshiabu, Klostermann, Orban, Henrichs; Baumgartner, Vermeeren, Haidara, Nusa; Sesko, Openda

Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:

Nicolas; Scally, Friedrich, Itakura, Ullrich; Reitz, Weigl; Honorat, Stoger, Hack; Kleindienst

We say: RB Leipzig 2-0 Borussia Monchengladbach

Despite losing their last two games, RB Leipzig have been exceptional at home for some time, and it is difficult to see how the visitors can trouble Die Roten Bullen.

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