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

Arminia Bielefeld take on Union Berlin in the Bundesliga on Sunday, with the hosts looking to end a winless run of five matches to move out of the relegation zone.

Union Berlin, meanwhile, can move level on points with sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen with a victory.

Match preview

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Having been promoted last season, staying up was always likely to prove a very difficult task for Arminia, but it is credit to Uwe Neuhaus and his players that they still have more than a fighting chance of doing so at this stage of the campaign.

While their run of form looks poor on paper, they have had a tough run of fixtures. Indeed, had someone offered the 61-year-old a point from three successive games against Bayern Munich, Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund, he may well have taken it, with their 3-3 draw at the home of the European champions showing they can compete with any side on their day.

However, they found Dortmund a step too far last weekend, containing Edin Terzic's side in a goalless first half but falling to strikes from Mahmoud Dahoud, Reinier Jesus and the in-form Jadon Sancho after the break.

Arminia will be pleased to have a fixture against a side they may have a chance of imposing their natural game against, but equally will be wary of the threat Union Berlin pose in transition.

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In many ways, Union Berlin are a club which Arminia can look at emulating should they survive, with seventh place in the table at this stage of the season a monumental achievement for Urs Fischer's side given that it is only the club's second ever Bundesliga campaign.

After an understandable slight dip in form, things are looking bright for them once again having remained unbeaten in their last three games and once again having the services of their top goalscorer and talisman Max Kruse available.

The 32-year-old marked his comeback against Hoffenheim last weekend by hammering home a trademark penalty into the top corner after Florian Grillitsch's clumsy tackle had afforded him the opportunity, but Nico Schlotterbeck's own goal meant that Union Berlin had to be content with a share on the spoils.

That penalty was the hosts' only shot on target across the 90 minutes, though, so Fischer will be looking for more creativity on display against Arminia as they look to secure a Europa League qualification spot to crown a glorious season.

Team News

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Arminia will be without the suspended Fabian Kunze after the midfielder picked up his fifth caution of the season against Dortmund, with Marcel Hartel likely to return to the starting XI in his place.

Cebio Soukou is likely to miss out with a knock, but otherwise Neuhaus has a clean bill of health to choose from.

Union Berlin, meanwhile, could be without Grischa Promel after the midfielder picked up a knock against Hoffenheim last time out.

Christopher Lenz, Taiwo Awoniyi, Sheraldo Becker and Anthony Ujah will all sit out the trip to Bielefeld through injury.

Arminia Bielefeld possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Brunner, Pieper, Nilsson, Laursen; Prietl, Hartel; Doan, Vlap, Cordoba; Klos

Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Karius; Knoche, Schlotterbeck, Friedrich; Trimmel, Gentner, Andrich, Bulter; Ingvartsen, Kruse; Pohjanpalo

We say: Arminia Bielefeld 1-1 Union Berlin

We think Arminia can gain a positive result on Sunday, with Union Berlin missing a few important players and not playing particularly well of late.

However, Fischer's side are always tough to beat and in Kruse they will have by far the most talented player on the pitch, so it would be little surprise if they edged it.