In their sixth Bundesliga fixture of the season, Augsburg will host Borussia Monchengladbach at WWK Arena on Friday and will hope to leapfrog their opponents.
The home team are fourth last in 15th place with just four points and will be looking to bounce back from their 4-0 defeat against RB Leipzig last time out on September 28, while the visitors are in 11th place but have just two points more after six matchweeks.
Match preview
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The hosts can have no complaints with the magnitude of their defeat against Leipzig considering they created no big chances from open play and missed a penalty in the 27th minute when they were trailing 2-0.
Augsburg's loss was their second consecutive defeat in the league and means they have now conceded 14 goals, the third-worst figure in the division.
Manager Jess Thorup could argue that his side have been unlucky in their opening games of the campaign given his team have created the seventh most big chances and produced the eighth highest xG tally.
Fuggerstadter's only victory in their five league fixtures came against newly-promoted St Pauli on September 15, though even they are above the hosts in the table as a result of superior goal difference.
Augsburg have lost three of their last four competitive games and have lost three, drawn one and won just one of their five most recent home matches in the Bundesliga.
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Opponents Borussia Monchengladbach have had a mixed season so far, with the team winning three and losing three of their six competitive matches this term.
The visitors did win 1-0 in the league against Union Berlin last time out on September 28, but they relied on a 96th-minute winner from Tomas Cvancara to claim all three points.
In that match, they created two big chances, but they failed to generate more than one xG, and boss Gerardo Seoane described his side's win as a fortunate but ultimately welcome three points.
Die Fohlen's win against Union Berlin was the first time they had won at home in the league since late February, a period in which they drew twice and lost four times.
Seoane's team have only scored on six occasions in the Bundesliga this term and only three of the division's other 17 sides have scored fewer.
Borussia Monchengladbach's away record is poor, with the club losing 18, drawing 16 and winning just four of their last 38 away matches in the Bundesliga.
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Team News
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The hosts will be without striker Samuel Essende, who was sent off against Mainz 05 on September 20.
Augsburg will also be unable to select right-back Robert Gumny until December due to a cruciate ligament injury, while attacker Ruben Vargas is not scheduled to return until the end of the month.
Goalkeeper Daniel Klein and left-back Mads Valentin Pedersen are not likely to feature until the middle of October.
Thorup could start Maximilian Bauer, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Kevin Schlotterbeck as centre-backs considering they have started the last three league games together.
Borussia Monchengladbach have numerous injury absentees and will be unable to call upon Yvandro Borges Sanches and Simon Walde until December and November respectively.
Goalkeeper Jonas Omlin is also scheduled to return in November, while winger Nathan N'Goumou should be able to feature once again in late October.
Franck Honorat and Jan Olschowsky may be available for the visitors by the middle of the month, but they are ruled out for now.
Considering these injuries, Seoane could name a similar XI to the side that beat Union Berlin, so expect goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas to be shielded by centre-backs Ko Itakura and Nico Elvedi.
Philipp Sander and Julian Weigl could start as a double pivot in midfield, while Tim Kleindienst is likely to lead from the front.
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Labrovic; Bauer, Gouweleeuw, Schlotterbeck; Wolf, Onyeka, Jakic, Giannoulis; Rexhbecaj; Tietz, Mounie
Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:
Nicolas; Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Netz; Sander, Weigl; Hack, Stoger, Plea; Kleindienst
We say: Augsburg 0-1 Borussia Monchengladbach
Given Augsburg will be unable to select striker Essende, they could struggle in front of goal on Friday.
Additionally, Borussia Monchengladbach will look to use the confidence from their win last time out to achieve a positive result and defy their poor away form.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
