VfB Stuttgart vs. Union Berlin: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Stuttgart have steadied the ship after winning just one of their first five Bundesliga games. They have taken five points from their last three outings, with the highlight a 3-1 win over Hoffenheim on Matchday 7. Pellegrino Matarazzo's 60th game in charge ended with a point as Konstantinos Mavropanos' superb strike earned a 1-1 draw at Borussia Mönchengladbach last time out, moving them up to 12th in the table. The American tactician remains without Sasa Kalajdzic and Florian Müller, but can at least welcome back Orel Mangala, Roberto Massimo and Erik Thommy, who all returned to training this week. Mangala and will likely replace Nikolas Nartey in the starting line-up.

Union are flying high in fifth place after last weekend's impressive 2-0 win over Wolfsburg, in which Awoniyi netted his sixth goal of the campaign. The 24-year-old Nigerian also hit a brace in the 2-1 win at his former club Mainz at the start of October, and now sits behind only three men in the Bundesliga scoring charts: Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski and Patrik Schick. Since completing a permanent move from Liverpool over the summer, Awoniyi has been enjoying his most prolific season in Germany; he is also Union's leading scorer in the UEFA Europa Conference League, adding another to his total on Thursday at Feyenoord. Captain Christopher Trimmel has dropped to the bench in three of the last four league outings, and if Urs Fischer keeps faith with Julian Ryerson on the right flank, Grischa Prömel is set to wear the skipper's armband - with fellow vice-captain and usual stand-in Marvin Friedrich the only confirmed absentee.

Match stats

Mavropanos has won more tackles (71 per cent) than any other player in the Bundesliga after eight matchdays.

The centre-back also has three goals to his name already in 2021/22, as has defensive partner Marc-Oliver Kempf. As such, Stuttgart have scored more goals via defenders than any other Bundesliga team this season.

Matarazzo's men are unbeaten in three games (one win, two draws) - their best run since going five unbeaten in February/March.

Awoniyi has supplied half of Union's goals this season (six out of 12), beating his personal best of five from the whole of last term.

Max Kruse has more assists (three) than he does goals (one) so far.

Union are currently on a three-game winning streak - they have never won four in a row in the Bundesliga.

Probable line-ups

Stuttgart: Bredlow - Mavropanos, Ito, Kempf - Karazor - Förster, Mangala, Endo (c), Sosa - Al Ghaddioui, Führich

Out: Anton (match fitness), Kalajdzic (shoulder), Millot (knee), Silas (knee)

Doubtful: Coulibaly (foot), Egloff (foot), Marmoush (ankle), Müller (not included)

Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo

Union: Luthe - Jaeckel, Knoche, Baumgartl - Ryerson, Khedira, Prömel (c), Gießelmann - Haraguchi - Awoniyi, Kruse

Out: Friedrich (not included)

Doubtful: Wszolek (foot)

Coach: Urs Fischer