Roberto Di Matteo looks to make it six straight Bundesliga home wins as they host promoted FC Köln at the Veltins-Arena on Saturday afternoon.
After a weary start to the campaign, their form in Gelsenkirchen has pushed them up to fifth place, and Di Matteo knows if they can sort themselves out on their travels, they stand a great chance of automatic qualification to the Champions League this season.
Qualification to the knockout rounds was secured midweek in Maribor, and a trip from Slovenia may well have a knock-on effect this weekend. They will no doubt try and put pressure from the start though, they have been leading at half-time in each of their last five home games, which have of course all ended in victory.
The danger man for the Royal Blues is no doubt Eric Choupo-Moting, five goals and two assists in his last three Bundesliga games, where his side have managed 11 goals, and along with Huntelaar, those two will be the point of all attacks come kick-off.
Köln and Timo Horn prized themselves on being hard to score against early on in the campaign, conceding just one in their opening five games before doing well to limit the mighty Bayern to just two. Its been nothing of the sort recently though, even their solitary win in the last five saw them concede three to Hoffenheim, and the signs don’t look good going into a game against a side really hitting their purple patch in terms of goalscoring.
However, Peter Stöger will be more than happy with a start to the season that has seen his team pick up 15 points from 14, and despite being hotly tipped for relegation this season, are holding their own at the pinnacle of German football.
If they are to grab anything in Gelsenkirchen, Anthony Ujah will have to play a big part in the game, and add to his five goals already this season – making him his side's top scorer so far.
The pressure will all be on Di Matteo to win this game though, and with three of Schalke’s European rivals playing on Sunday, this is the perfect chance for them to gain a huge advantage in that race.