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

Two early-season strugglers go head to head in the Bundesliga on Sunday, when Augsburg host Arminia Bielefeld at the WWK Arena.

Both will be looking for a statement win to lift themselves away from the relegation places for the time being, which could prove difficult considering they have managed just one win and scored just six goals between them so far this campaign.

Match preview

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Despite a hard-fought and improved performance last time out, Augsburg still fell to a 2-1 defeat away to title-challengers Borussia Dortmund before the international break.

Andi Zeqiri had pulled Fuggerstadter level during a solid first-half display, but after conceding early in the second, the visitors could only hang on to a narrow deficit, without troubling their opponents too often.

In fact, that has been the significant problem for Markus Weinzierl's side so far this campaign, with just the three goals netted in the opening seven fixtures.

Survival is always the primary target for Augsburg heading into each Bundesliga season, but after narrowly avoiding relegation in recent years, Weinzierl will be aware that he needs to find a way for his side to be more threatening in the final third quickly.

Weinzierl and Augsburg could not have wished for a much greater opportunity to do this than the one handed to them on Sunday, as they face off against another of the struggling sides on home soil, one that they managed to take four points off in their meetings last season, without conceding a goal either.

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Visitors Bielefeld find themselves one place and one point behind their opponents heading into the weekend's fixture, and one of just two winless sides left in the division.

Struggling as the second-lowest scorers in the Bundesliga last season, Die Arminen have not managed to find the solution to their misery in front of goal so far this campaign either, netting just the three as well.

Up until the last fixture before the international break, a 4-0 defeat at home to high-flying Bayer Leverkusen, manager Frank Kramer had his side well-drilled in defensive structure to at least present themselves a slim chance in matches still, despite the problems at the other end of the pitch.

Prior to that humbling loss, this weekend's visitors had only conceded six goals across the six previous league matches, which is an impressive record for a side expected to struggle year in year out in Germany's top flight, and one that had managed to earn them four draws from those encounters.

However, like his counterpart at the weekend, Kramer will be aware of the need to get his side scoring soon, whilst maintaining their solid structure at the back as well.

Team News

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The hosts should be boosted by the return of two important players on Sunday, with midfielders Ruben Vargas and Niklas Dorsch expected to return to the starting lineup after recent absences.

However, Florian Niederlechner will remain absent from the forward line due to a groin problem, with defender Felix Uduokhai joining him on the sidelines.

The trio of Iago, Jan Moravek and Sergio Cordova have all been listed as doubts, which leaves the manager with few changes to make to his lineup.

Meanwhile, the visitors have just a trio of doubts to be concerned about ahead of the trip to Augsburg.

Andres Andrade, Sebastian Vasiliadis and Patrick Wimmer are the players that could miss out, although Wimmer is the only one that has regularly featured so far this season.

Wimmer's absence could pave the way for Florian Kruger to make just his second league start this campaign on the right-hand side of midfield.

Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Gikiewicz; Gumny, Gouweleeuw, Oxford; Caligiuri, Strobl, Dorsch, Pedersen; Maier; Vargas, Zeqiri

Arminia Bielefeld possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Brunner, Pieper, Nilsson, Laursen; Prietl, Schopf; Kruger, Hack, Okugawa; Klos

We say: Augsburg 1-0 Arminia Bielefeld

Without a doubt this is a big fixture for these two sides, despite it being in the early stages of the new campaign still.

Both will be desperate for the three points to lift them away from danger for the time being, as well as the confidence boost for the months ahead, but with the two struggling so much in front of goal, few goals are to be expected in a tight affair.