Preview: Arminia Bielefeld vs. Union Berlin - prediction, team news, lineups

Having both suffered Bundesliga defeats last weekend, relegation battlers Arminia Bielefeld and top six contenders Union Berlin clash at the SchucoArena on Saturday.

While Union posted a second straight loss after a previously positive start to 2022, their hosts saw their best run of form this term ended by high-flying Hoffenheim.

Match preview

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A week after suffering their first failure since the Bundesliga break - going down 2-0 at relegation-threatened Augsburg - last weekend, Union Berlin were again left both goalless and pointless when beaten 3-0 at home by Borussia Dortmund.

Marco Reus gave the title contenders an early lead, thumping the ball past goalkeeper Union goalkeeper Andreas Luthe on 18 minutes, and the visitors' captain also added Dortmund's second just five minutes later. Raphael Guerreiro's strike midway through the second half then consigned the capital club to just a second home defeat of the season.

As a result, Union lost at home to Die Schwarzgelben in the top flight for the first time, having won both the clubs' previous meetings at the An der Alten Forsterei, and slipped down from fourth spot to seventh in the tightly-packed standings.

Urs Fischer's side enter the weekend locked on points with RB Leipzig, Hoffenheim and fellow outsiders Freiburg, so remain very much in the mix for a European spot of some sort, though dreams of the Champions League remain a long way from being realised.

If they are to avoid falling off the pace, Die Eisernen - who had won four and drawn two in six Bundesliga outings prior to their back-to-back defeats - must now return to goalscoring ways against a side they turned over earlier this term; winning September's reverse fixture 1-0 in Berlin.

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Breathing new life into their quest to avoid relegation, Arminia had gone six games unbeaten before they travelled to Sinsheim last Sunday, but returned north with nothing to show for their efforts following a 2-0 defeat against Hoffenheim.

Frank Kramer's men had been on a relatively successful run since losing to Hertha in early December, with away victories over Leipzig and Frankfurt being particular highlights, but must hope that a single setback will not check their progress.

Having enjoyed such a streak - which saw them concede only five goals in the process - Arminia's best run of the season had helped them escape the bottom three, and they remain level on points with Augsburg below them in the relegation playoff place.

Still holding a four-point advantage over Stuttgart in the automatic drop zone, too, Die Arminen are well-placed to avoid the drop on current form, which compares well with some of the Bundesliga's top teams.

Having won just once so far at their Bielefeld headquarters, though, they possess the league's worst home record - something they will be keen to start improving on Saturday.

Team News

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Still adapting to life without Marvin Friedrich and Max Kruse, who left for Borussia Monchengladbach and Wolfsburg respectively during the winter transfer window, Union coach Urs Fischer may make at least a couple of changes following successive league defeats.

Rani Khedira should return to the centre of midfield on Saturday, after serving a one-match suspension last weekend, while centre-back Robin Knoche is suspended this week and could be replaced by Julian Ryerson in the visitors' back three. Japanese winger Keita Endo may also be sidelined by illness.

Meanwhile, Christopher Trimmel became the club's all-time leading appearance maker in the Bundesliga last time out, and will line up for an 80th time on Saturday - further surpassing his former teammate Friedrich.

Arminia apparently have no new injury concerns, as left-back Andres Andrade has overcome an ankle problem and his defensive colleague Amos Pieper is free to return from concussion.

Importantly for the home side, after having been banned for picking up a fifth yellow card of the season, influential forward Patrick Wimmer now returns from suspension.

Seven-goal top scorer Masaya Okugawa should join the Austrian wide man up front in Frank Kramer's three-man forward line.

Arminia Bielefeld possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Brunner, Nilsson, Pieper, Andrade; Schopf, Castro, Kruger; Wimmer, Serra, Okugawa

Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Luthe; Ryerson, Jaeckel, Baumgartl; Trimmel, Khedira, Promel, Oczipka; Becker, Michel; Awoniyi

We say: Arminia Bielefeld 0-1 Union Berlin

Union can arrest their slide at Arminia's expense, as they tend to fare well enough on their travels, while the hosts generally do better outside of Bielefeld.

The visitors have been short of punch in the final third over the past fortnight, but should have enough guile to strike at least once and return to the capital with maximum points.

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