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

Seeking their first three points of the new Bundesliga campaign, Augsburg will travel to the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei to face Union Berlin on Saturday afternoon.

The visitors have conceded eight goals in their opening three league games, while the hosts have scored in seven of their last eight top-flight matches, which includes results from last season.

Match preview

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Competing in just their third ever Bundesliga campaign, Union Berlin have had their best top-flight start after the first three matches, claiming five points.

Score draws against Bayern Leverkusen and Hoffenheim were followed by an 2-1 victory at home against Borussia Monchengladbach, with first-half strikes from Niko Giesselmann and Taiwo Awoniyi securing their first three points of the new season.

Urs Fischer will have been impressed with his side's start and is looking to build on last season's seventh-place finish, which saw them qualify for the inaugural Europa Conference League, their first European competition in 19 years.

Union Berlin's home form has been one of the key factors to their rise in the Bundesliga. The Iron Ones are unbeaten in each of their last 18 league matches at the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, winning and drawing nine games each; only Bayern Munich (29) and Eintracht Frankfurt (20) currently have longer unbeaten records on home soil.

One record, however, they will be keen to address is their form against Augsburg, having lost both meetings against them last season, conceding five goal in the process.

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Augsburg won 3-1 away against Union Berlin in September 2020, before securing a narrow 2-1 victory at home in January. Another success on Saturday would be much welcome to Markus Weinzierl's side, who have had a difficult start to the new campaign.

The Fuggerstadter suffered heavy defeats in both of their opening two Bundesliga home matches, against Hoffenheim and Bayer Leverkusen, conceding four goals in each game.

A goalless draw away at Eintracht Frankfurt sandwiched in between means Augsburg have claimed just one point so far this season, with only basement club Hertha Berlin below them in the current standings.

Their recent home form has been disappointing and success on the road has also come at a premium, as they have failed to win any of their last seven away games in the German top flight.

Augsburg's form needs to improve if they are to match or better last season's 13th-placed finish, their highest position since the 2017-18 campaign.

Team News

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Union Berlin defender Marvin Friedrich, who was dismissed against Hoffenheim, is back from serving a one-match suspension and will be in contention to start ahead of Paul Jaeckel in the back three.

Bayern Munich loanee Leon Dajaku is close to returning to fitness following an appendix operation, but is unlikely to feature this weekend.

Awoniyi, who has made a strong start to the new campaign with three goals in as many Bundesliga matches, is expected to start up front alongside experienced forward Max Kruse.

As for Augsburg, Jan Moravek (groin), Arne Maier (muscle), Jeffrey Gouweleeuw (groin) and Tobias Strobl (ankle) will all be assessed ahead of kickoff to see if they can feature this weekend.

Striker Florian Niederlechner, who scored his and Augsburg's first league goal of the new campaign last month, is set to start once again up front, though Alfred Finnbogason will also be pushing for a place in the first XI.

Former West Ham United youngster Reece Oxford has started the last two matches at centre-back and is set to remain in the heart of the defence this weekend alongside Felix Uduokhai.

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

Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Gikiewicz; Gumny, Oxford, Uduokhai, Iago; Gruezo, Dorsch; Caligiuri, Hahn, Vargas; Niederlechner

We say: Union Berlin 2-0 Augsburg

Even though Union Berlin will have one eye on their Europa Conference League clash with Slavia Prague next week, we expect Fischer to name a strong side that should have enough quality to claim all three points on Saturday.

The visitors have looked vulnerable defensively so far this campaign and we think that they may struggle to keep a clean sheet once again in the German capital.