Bayern Munich could be seven points adrift of Bayer Leverkusen at the Bundesliga summit by the time they face Werder Bremen on Sunday afternoon.
Bayern had the chance to pile the pressure on Leverkusen last weekend as they took on Hoffenheim on Friday night, winning 3-0, but the league leaders responded with a last-gasp victory at Augsburg on Saturday.
Thomas Tuchel will be hoping Champions League hopefuls RB Leipzig can do them a favour this weekend but Bayern themselves will be expected to get the job done on home soil against 13th-placed Werder.
Here’s how they could line up for Sunday’s game.
GK: Manuel Neuer – The all-time great goalkeeper had to be at his best last Friday to preserve a clean sheet against Hoffenheim.
RB: Konrad Laimer – Laimer should enjoy a run in the side at right-back with Bouna Sarr out injured and Noussair Mazraoui at AFCON.
CB: Dayot Upamecano – With Matthijs de Ligt injured and Kim Min-jae on international duty, Upamecano is expected to have another new centre-back partner this weekend.
CB: Eric Dier – Dier himself perhaps wouldn’t have expected to be thrust into the limelight as quickly as he’s going to be. De Ligt’s knee injury means the Englishman could make his debut on Sunday.
LB: Alphonso Davies – Davies remained in the lineup last time out despite the transfer links to Real Madrid. The Canadian should remain in the team this weekend.
CM: Joshua Kimmich – Murmurs have started to surface regarding Kimmich’s Bayern future, but for now the German star remains the club’s on-field general.
CM: Leon Goretzka – Raphael Guerreiro has got some midfield love either side of the winter break, but Goretzka is expected to return to the lineup against Werder Bremen to partner Kimmich.
RM: Kingsley Coman – Tuchel shuffled his wide men around in the victory over Hoffenheim by deploying Thomas Muller in tandem with Jamal Musiala. The German should return Coman to the side on Sunday, with the Frenchman impressing during the first half of the season.
AM: Jamal Musiala – Musiala produced his best performance of the season last time out as he scored twice in Bayern’s 3-0 victory over Hoffenheim.
LM: Leroy Sane – The direct winger has enjoyed a superb 2023/24 thus far, although he endured one of his quieter outings last time out. He’s one of several Bayern attackers that’ll be aiming to feast this weekend.
ST: Harry Kane – The striker got himself on the scoresheet late on last time out to stay on track in the race to topple Robert Lewandowski’s single-season Bundesliga scoring record.
