Borussia Dortmund will look to keep their unbeaten run in the Bundesliga intact when they host SV Elversberg.

Having dropped points in three of their last five league games, Borussia Dortmund will be eager to claim all three points when they welcome Elversberg to the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday afternoon.

The home team are 2nd on the points table with 18 points in their eight outings, with five wins and three draws. They played out a 2-2 draw against rivals Bayern Munich in their last league outing and have been unbeaten in their last six games across competitions.

However, they did return to winning ways against Real Betis in their last Champions League outing. They were more creative and clinical in the final third and got the result they wanted. Dortmund will be looking for more of the same here.

Meanwhile, the visitors have certainly punched above their weight as they find themselves 7th on the table with 13 points. Having secured promotion last time out, the objective was to survive in the top flight, but as things stand, they are pushing for a European spot.

While they have lost two out of their last five league outings, Elversberg are heading into this fixture on the back of a 4-1 win over FSV Mainz. They will certainly be optimistic about giving a tough fight to one of the giants of German football, and that too in their own backyard. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.

Team News & Tactics

Borussia Dortmund

Dortmund will remain without the services of Emre Can (knee), Justin Lerma (muscle) and Giannis Konstantelias (knee) for this fixture. Serhou Guirassy is a doubt for this outing, and even if he is fit enough to start, Niko Kovac is unlikely to risk him.

The team in yellow and black are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Gregor Kobel starting in goal. Joane Gadou, Waldemar Anton and Nico Schlotterbeck should form the back three, providing defensive cover while allowing the wing-backs to push forward.

Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson are likely to operate as wing-backs, while Jobe Bellingham and Felix Nmecha should form the central midfield pairing. All four of them will look to ensure they control the tempo of the game and dominate the ball.

Maximilian Beier and Carney Chukwuemeka are expected to play just behind the striker, looking to link up with Fabio Silva and create opportunities in the final third.

Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Kobel; Gadou, Anton, Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Bellingham, Nmecha, Svensson; Beier, Chukwuemeka; Silva

SV Elversberg

The visitors will be without the services of Jan Gyamerah (hamstring) and Luis Seifert (ankle) due to injury. Apart from the duo, everyone else should be available for selection.

Elversberg are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Nicolas Kristof starting in goal. Luca Sirch and Lasse Gunther will feature as the full-backs, while Lukas Pinckert is likely to partner Maximilian Rohr in central defence.

Felix Keidel and Lukasz Poreba are expected to form the midfield double pivot. The duo will look to shield the backline and ensure Dortmund midfielders do not enjoy too much easy possession.

Francis Onyeka will be operating in the number ten role, looking to link the midfield and attack while creating chances for those around him. Lukas Petkov and Maurice Krattenmacher should provide support from the flanks, while David Mokwa leads the line.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kristof; Sirch, Pinckert, Rohr, Gunther; Keidel, Poreba; Petkov, Onyeka, Krattenmacher; Mokwa

Key Stats

• Dortmund are unbeaten in the Bundesliga this season with five wins and three draws in their eight outings.
• Fabio Silva has already doubled his tally from last season, having bagged six goals and three assists.
• Elversberg have kept just one clean sheet so far, and they have scored as well as conceded 16 goals in their eight outings.
• This is all set to be the first-ever Bundesliga meeting between the two teams.
• The visitors have scored three or more goals in four out of their eight league outings.

Player to Watch

Fabio Silva

With Serhou Guirassy unlikely to start, all eyes will be on Fabio Silva, who has been a standout performer for Dortmund this season. He has nine goal contributions in 624 minutes spread across 14 appearances in all competitions.

He is in red-hot form of late as he bagged a goal against Bayern Munich during his 14-minute cameo and backed it up with a goal and an assist against Real Betis last time out. Silva will certainly be the one to keep an eye on, as he could end up having a big say in the end result.

Prediction

Borussia Dortmund 2-0 SV Elversberg

Dortmund are unbeaten in the Bundesliga this season and will be determined to extend that run against Elversberg. Niko Kovac’s men have shown some inconsistency in recent league outings, dropping points in three of their last five matches, but their impressive display against Real Betis in the Champions League should give them plenty of confidence.

Elversberg have enjoyed an impressive start to life in the top flight and will arrive at Signal Iduna Park on the back of a convincing win over Mainz. However, their defensive record remains a concern, having conceded 16 goals in eight league outings. Dortmund have been particularly dangerous in the final third, with Fabio Silva in excellent form.

The visitors could cause a few problems, but the hosts should have enough firepower to secure a comfortable victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a comfortable 2-0 win for the home team.