Ondrej Duda and Co. have a big point to prove when Hertha Berlin visit cellar-dwellers Fortuna Düsseldorf on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CET/2.30pm GMT/10.30am ET).
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Fortuna fell to their sixth successive defeat of the season at Borussia Mönchengladbach last time out, and are currently tit-for-tat with second-bottom VfB Stuttgart; level on points and goal difference after 10 matches. It has been a dire start to the season for the 2017/18 Bundesliga 2 champions, who could find themselves propping up the rest of the table during the November international break, depending on results elsewhere. Coach Friedhelm Funkel may shuffle his pack for the visit of Hertha, potentially bringing an extra man into the midfield. Marcel Sobottka is unavailable, however.
Despite their comparatively lofty position in the top half of the current standings, Hertha have also hit something of a sticky patch. Pal Dardai's side have not won in the league since beating defending champions Bayern Munich 2-0 on Matchday 6, although last weekend's 3-0 home loss to RB Leipzig was only their second defeat of the campaign. Javairo Dilrosun could come in to freshen things up in the wide areas, but the game likely comes too soon for Liverpool loanee Marko Grujic.
Match stats
Fortuna have scored just once in their last five league games, Dodi Lukebakio's strike in the 7-1 defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Lukebakio is Fortuna's top scorer this season with two Bundesliga goals.
Düsseldorf's Alfredo Morales is one of six Americans to have scored in the Bundesliga this season.
Hertha have gone four games without a win in the league, a sequence that follows a superb start to the season that saw them notch up four wins and a draw from their first six games.
Duda has scored as many as Bundesliga goals this season as the entire Fortuna team (six).
On four goals for the season, Hertha captain Vedad Ibisevic has not found the net since the Matchday 6win over Bayern.
Probable line-ups
Düsseldorf: Rensing – Zimmer, Ayhan, Ayhan, Bormuth, Gießelmann – Zimmermann, Morales, Karaman, Lovren – Lukebakio, Hennings (c)
Absentees: Contento (knee), Hoffmann (concussion), Fink (Achilles), Sobottka (knee), Wolf (neck)
Coach: Friedhelm Funkel
Hertha: Jarstein – Lazaro, Stark, Rekik, Plattenhardt – Maier, Lustenberger – Kalou, Duda, Mittelstädt – Ibisevic (c)
Absentees: Gersbeck (cruciate ligament), Kade (ankle), Grujic, Torunarigha (both fitness)
Coach: Pal Dardai