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

Union Berlin will host Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday afternoon in the Bundesliga with two points separating the sides.

The hosts sit in eighth place on six points, while their opponents have only collected four points this season and are still searching for their first win of the campaign.

Match preview

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Union Berlin are aiming to replicate their seventh-place finish from last season, which saw them clinch a Europa Conference League place.

Die Eisernen began their campaign with two draws against Bayer Leverkusen and Hoffenheim before they earned their first three points of the campaign courtesy of a 2-1 win at home to Borussia Monchengladbach, and then a goalless draw at home to Augsburg followed.

Last weekend, Union Berlin fell to a 4-2 defeat away to Borussia Dortmund, with Erling Braut Haaland scoring a brace, although Max Kruse and Andreas Voglsammer did get on the scoresheet for the visitors.

A major factor in Die Eisernen only suffering one league defeat this campaign is forward Taiwo Awoniyi, who has been in fine form scoring three goals in five league matches.

Urs Fischer will hope Awoniyi can show his goalscoring touch once again at the weekend, as his side aim to continue an impressive record against Saturday's opponents, which includes a 5-0 win at home last season.

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Arminia Bielefeld are experiencing their second successive campaign in the Bundesliga, and they travel to Berlin at the weekend in search of their first league victory of the season.

Die Arminen have drawn four of their five league matches this term, and three of those came in the first three matchdays, as games with Freiburg, Greuther Furth and Eintracht Frankfurt ended all square.

Then on matchday four, they suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of Borussia Monchengladbach before they played out a goalless draw in their last outing against Hoffenheim.

Defensively Arminia Bielefeld have been solid, but they have struggled to find a cutting edge in attack, which is demonstrated by the fact they have only scored three league goals this season.

The visitors will need to find their scoring touch if they are to emerge victorious against Union Berlin for the first time since May 2016.

Team News

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Union Berlin are still without the injured duo of Mathis Bruns and Kevin Mohwald.

Additionally, Fischer will have to decide whether to bring Christopher Trimmel back into the starting lineup in the right wing-back role.

Although Voglsammer scored after coming on in the second half against Borussia Dortmund he is likely to remain on the bench, but could be used in the latter stages of the game.

Arminia Bielefeld have a couple of absentees in the form of Edimilson Fernandes and Sebastian Vasiliadis.

Lennart Czyborra came on as a substitute against Hoffenheim but had to be taken off eight minutes later after suffering a hip problem, so the defender is a doubt for this weekend.

Also, Frank Kramer could make changes up front in a bid to find a forward line that is capable of consistently finding the net, so Patrick Wimmer could make way for Bryan Lasme.

Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Luthe; Friedrich, Knoche, Baumgartl; Trimmel, Oztunali, Khedira, Promel, Giesselmann; Kruse, Awoniyi

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

We say: Union Berlin 2-1 Arminia Bielefeld

Union Berlin are balancing domestic football with a European campaign, and they may have one eye on their home game against Maccabi Haifa next week, but they should have enough quality to see off an Arminia Bielefeld side who are struggling to score.