After qualifying for the Champions League group stage last season, the start made by Borussia Mönchengladbach couldn’t have started in more contrasting form, sitting in the relegation zone.

On the end of a 4-0 thumping by the rejuvenated Borussia Dortmund at the Westfalenstadion, but the defeat to Mainz, who themselves lost to newly-promoted Ingolstadt in the season opener, has sent alarm bells ringing.

The history records isn’t good reading either; Gladbach may have won on the banks of the river Weser back in May, but that was their first since 1987.

What will be of good news for followers of the Foals, is that Bremen are hardly flying themselves. A point in the capital against Hertha Berlin last weekend was preceded by a 3-0 drubbing by Schalke, who sported die Werderaner’s former favourite Franco Di Santo in their new look squad.

With no wins in five, Werder are in the longest winless streak since Viktor Skrypnyk took the hotseat, and are clearly still getting used to life without Di Santo and Davie Selke who joined the RB Leipzig revolution.

But with Alvaro Dominguez still out with his back injury, the Green and White’s new hero Anthony Ujah will be licking his lips at the prospect of facing the inexperienced Foals defence. Expect a goalfest.

Team news

The trio of Fins Bartels, Phillip Bargfrede and Santiago Garcia all return to Skyrpnyk’s squad, the latter being named in the 18 for the first time since March after a knee injury.

Gladbach welcome back Andre Hahn and Havard Nordtveit from injury and suspension respectively; however, Fabian Johnson, captain Martin Stranzl and the aforementioned Dominguez will not be available.

Who could make the starting XI's?

Bremen: (4-D-2): Wiedwald - Gebre Selassie, Lukimya, Vestergaard, U. Garcia - Bargfrede - Fritz, Junuzovic - M. Eggestein - Johannsson, Ujah

Gladbach: (4-4-1-1) Sommer - Korb, M. Schulz, Jantschke, Wendt – Herrmann, G. Xhaka, Nordtveit, Traore – Stindl, Raffael

Key players

Bremen will hope that Ujah will continue where he left off, after scoring his first competitive goal for Werder in the 1-1 draw in Berlin against Hertha.

With Gladbach still looking to find their groove after losing Christoph Kramer as he returned to Bayer Leverkusen after his two season loan, Nordtveit will hope to fill the void on his return from suspension, after his red card on the final day of last season.