Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin preview: Can Die Eisernen trouble the champions?
Bayern Munich will be aiming to extend their advantage at the top to seven points on Saturday, but in their way stands a Union Berlin side who have avoided defeat in three of their last four matches in all competitions.
Bayern Munich
A Bundesliga title race seems to have emerged after Bayern dropped four points across their last two league matches. The defending champions have drawn both of their previous two Bundesliga matches, while two wins for Borussia Dortmund has seen the gap at the top close to four points.
However, with Dortmund not due to play until Sunday, the league leaders can put the pressure back on their rivals with a win on Saturday.
Despite dropping points, the Bavarians carry a six-game unbeaten run in all competitions into the weekend contest, although Julian Nagelsmann will be frustrated that his side have conceded in eight of their last nine matches. They do, however, boast the best defensive record in the league after conceding just 28 Bundesliga goals this season, while in the final third they have been in clinical form.
They have scored a staggering 77 goals in their 26 league games, which is 11 more than Dortmund who are the second-highest scorers in the league. Five of those Bayern strikes came in their emphatic 5-2 away victory over Union in October, and Saturday's hosts will be aiming to replicate that result as they attempt to re-establish control of the Bundesliga title race.
Team News
Robert Lewandowski has shaken off a knock to feature in Saturday's contest, but the hosts will be without the services of Alphonso Davies, Leon Goretzka, Benjamin Pavard and Niklas Süle.
Union Berlin
Union enter Saturday's contest in eighth place, but their hopes of qualifying for Europe via the league have taken a hit in recent weeks after winning just one of their last six league games, with four of those contests ending in defeat.
Die Eisernen looked set to claim a narrow victory over Stuttgart last weekend after Taiwo Awoniyi had given his side the lead, but a 90th-minute equaliser from Saša Kalajdžić denied Union all three points.
As he looks towards a tough contest against the league leaders, Urs Fischer will be concerned by his side's recent away performances. Union have lost their last three away matches, but what is more worrying for Saturday's visitors is that they failed to score in all of three of those defeats.
Team News
Keita Endo, Dominique Heintz and Levin Öztunali are all set to miss out for the visitors, while Grischa Prömel is suspended for an accumulation of yellow cards.
