Top spot in the Bundesliga is on the line when promoted Hannover kick off Matchday 4 at home to northern rivals Hamburg on Friday evening (kick-off 20:30CEST/18:30GMT).
Team news
Hannover are unbeaten on their return to the top flight and are likely to keep changes to a minimum on Friday. Pirmin Schwegler missed the 1-1 draw in Wolfsburg but could come into contention this weekend after resuming training following a knee problem. Manuel Schmiedebach was withdrawn with a thigh problem last weekend but is also hopeful of playing a part, while left-back Matthias Ostrzolek should play against his former team.
Hamburg's teenage full-back Rick van Drongelen and Serbian winger Filip Kostic both miss out with injuries they picked up in the 2-0 loss against RB Leipzig last Friday. Kostic went off after 37 minutes and the club have confirmed that the 24-year-old will be out for at least a month due to a hamstring tear. Hamburg signed free agent Sejad Salihovic during the week, although it is unlikely he will be thrown straight into the team.
Watch: Hamburg pushed Hannover closer to the drop when these sides last met on Matchday 28 of the 2015/16 season
Probable line-ups
Hannover: Tschauner (c) - Korb, Sane, Felipe, Ostrzolek - Bakalorz, Anton, Schwegler - Harnik, Jonathas, Klaus
Absentees: Albornoz (hamstring), Bech (meniscus), Bazee (tendon), Prib (cruciate ligament)
Coach: Andre Breitenreiter
Hamburg: Mathenia - Diekmeier (c), Papadopoulos, Mavraj, Sakai - Ekdal, Holtby, Walace - Hahn, Wood, Waldschmidt
Absentees: Köhlert (muscle tear), Kostic (hamstring), Müller (cruciate ligament), Thoelke (knee), van Drongelen (pelvis)
Coach: Markus Gisdol
Match Stats
Hannover (third) only need a point from this game to go top on Friday night - Hamburg (seventh) require a win.Die Roten are currently enjoying a 15-game unbeaten run in all competitions, the best streak of any professional club in Germany.However, they won't have fond memories of HSV's last trip to the HDI Arena, when they lost 3-0 on Matchday 28 in 2015/16.Hannover coach Breitenreiter spent three years of his playing career at Hamburg, scoring 12 goals in 71 appearances.After victory in Cologne on Matchday 2, Hamburg have a chance to win their opening two away games of a Bundesliga season for the first time since 2005/06.Ostrzolek moved from Hamburg to Hannover this summer. The 27-year-old left-back played 81 Bundesliga games for HSV and scored one goal.
Source: bundesliga.com