Wolfsburg vs. Arminia Bielefeld: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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Kruse has already struck twice since returning for his second spell with the Wolves in January, against Eintracht Frankfurt and Freiburg - the same number of goals he's notched in seven career meetings with Bielefeld. The former Germany international should form an attacking trident with Jonas Wind and top scorer Lukas Nmecha, who was on target as the two sides drew 2-2 in November's reverse fixture. Goalkeeper and captain Koen Casteels has returned to training following a a hip injury and looks set to replace Pavao Pervan between the posts, while left-back Jerome Roussillon should make the squad after illness. Wolfsburg are in desperate need of a positive result. They currently sit 13th in the table, having lost their last three games against Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Augsburg; their current predicament is a far cry from last season's fourth-placed finish.

Bielefeld are faring even worse, and go into this one three places and five points below their hosts. After a cagey 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers VfB Stuttgart - which snapped a four-game losing streak in the Bundesliga - Frank Kramer's side are gearing up for another six-pointer. If they can manage their first win in almost two months, they would give their survival hopes a serious shot in the arm - especially with giants Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig to come before the end of the campaign. Talismanic striker Fabian Klos underwent successful surgery on Monday after sustaining a serious head injury against Stuttgart, and may therefore have played his last game for the club he joined from the Wolfsburg reserves in 2011. If Sebastian Vasiliadis fails to shake off a minor knee issue he could be replaced by Fabian Kunze in midfield. Centre-back Joakim Nilsson missed training earlier this week with a cold, but otherwise Kramer has a full squad to choose from.

Match stats

Both of Kruse's goals since rejoining Wolfsburg have fallen away from home.

Nmecha hit one of his team-leading six goals in the reverse fixture, but hasn't scored in four matches since returning from injury.

Wolfsburg are the lowest scorers of teams currently outside the bottom three (29 goals).

The last time Masaya Okugawa went five matches without a goal, he scored in two successive Bundesliga games, including the reverse fixture.

Arminia are bottom of the form table (one point from their last five matches), but have claimed the most points away this season (12) among teams in the bottom five.

Bielefeld are winless in six against the Wolves (D1, L5), and have won just three of their 19 Bundesliga meetings to date.

Probable line-ups

Wolfsburg: Casteels (c) - Lacroix, Bornauw, Brooks - Baku, Schlager, Arnold, Roussillon - Wind, Kruse - L. Nmecha

Out: Otavio (knee), Van de Ven (thigh), William (knee)

Doubtful: Waldschmidt (ankle)

Coach: Florian Kohfeldt

Bielefeld: Ortega - Brunner, Pieper, Nilsson, Andrade - Prietl (c), Schöpf - Wimmer, Okugawa, Krüger - Serra

Out: Klos (concussion)

Doubtful: Vasiliadis (knee)

Coach: Frank Kramer

About the clubs VfL Wolfsburg

Volkswagen Arena

Arminia Bielefeld

SchücoArena

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