Bundesliga: Stuttgart hoping to avoid Bayern thumping

Goals are set to fly on Saturday as the Bundesliga's most potent attack meets the league's worst defence when leaders Bayern Munich host strugglers VfB Stuttgart in Germany's southern derby.

Published : Nov 06, 2015 15:40 IST , Berlin

Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller have scored a staggering 23 goals between them in the Bundeliga so far this season.
Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller have scored a staggering 23 goals between them in the Bundeliga so far this season.
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Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller have scored a staggering 23 goals between them in the Bundeliga so far this season.

Goals are set to fly on Saturday as the Bundesliga's most potent attack meets the league's worst defence when leaders Bayern Munich host strugglers VfB Stuttgart in Germany's southern derby.

Pep Guardiola's Bayern are five points clear at the top of the table and are Germany's only unbeaten team after 11 matches while Stuttgart are just above the relegation places.

Bayern's star-studded attack inflicted a record 5-1 defeat on Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday as Thomas Mueller netted twice.

Between them Germany's Mueller and Poland hot-shot Robert Lewandowski have netted 31 goals between them in all competitions, including 23 in Germany's top-flight.

In contrast, Stuttgart only hauled themselves out of the bottom three last week and their leaky defence has conceded 23 goals so far -- the joint worst record in the Bundesliga alongside bottom side Augsburg.

Stuttgart have lost their last 13 matches against Bayern in all competitions.

They will be missing key midfielder Martin Harnik, who needs an operation on a knee injury, but Australia winger Robbie Kruse is set to return from a hamstring strain.

Gunning for derby spoils

The key clash of the weekend sees second-placed Borussia Dortmund host fourth-placed Schalke in the Ruhr Valley derby.

Borussia beat their rivals 3-0 the last time the teams met at Dortmund's Westfalenstadion in February when the hosts fired in 31 shots compared to Schalke's mere three - a new league record low.

Borussia Monchengladbach go in search of their seventh successive Bundesliga win under caretaker head coach Andre Schubert when they host Ingolstadt 04 at Borussia Park on Saturday looking to make Bundesliga history.

No coach has even won their first seven games in Germany's top flight - even Bayern coach Pep Guardiola only managed to win his first three in 2013 - and Schubert is poised to get the job full time after dragging Gladbach from bottom to fifth in the table.

Fixtures

Hanover 96 v Hertha Berlin, Bayern Munich v VfB Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen Cologne, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Ingolstadt, Hoffenheim v Eintracht Frankfurt, Mainz 05 v VfL Wolfsburg, Darmstadt v Hamburg, Borussia Dortmund v Schalke 04, Augsburg v Werder Bremen.

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