Bayer Leverkusen will look to the in-form Leon Bailey to see off fast-improving Werder Bremen on Wednesday and extend the double-digit unbeaten run that has propelled them into top-four contention (kick-off 20:30CET/19:30GMT).
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Leverkusen played the last half-hour of the Matchday 15 win in Stuttgart with a back four, but Heiko Herrlich remains likely to rely on a formidable-looking rearguard of the Bender twins either side of Jonathan Tah. Admir Mehmedi could find a place in the midfield four while Lucas Alario is a contender up front to help extend Die Werkself's ten-game unbeaten run.
Bremen will pose a stiff challenge, though, having won three of their last four, including last weekend's benchmark triumph at Borussia Dortmund. Zlatko Junuzovic's calf problem may sideline the Austria international, so Jerome Gondorf is on stand-by to slot in if needed.
Watch: Bremen triumph in Dortmund on Matchday 15
Probable line-ups
Leverkusen: Leno - L. Bender (c), Tah, S. Bender - Henrichs, Kohr, Baumgartlinger, Bailey - Havertz, Volland, Brandt
Absentees: Wendell (suspended), Aranguiz (calf), Yurchenko (foot)
Coach: Heiko Herrlich
Bremen: Pavlenka - Gebre Selassie, Veljkovic, Moisander, Augustinsson - Bargfrede - Eggestein, Delaney - Kainz, Junuzovic (c) - Kruse
Absentees: Zetterer (hand), Bartels (Achilles), Johannsson (knee)
Coach: Florian Kohfeldt
Match stats
Source: bundesliga.com