Bundesliga 2019/20, Matchday 6 Preview: Bayern Munich travel to Paderborn and Borussia Dortmund welcome Werder Bremen
After five matchdays of the 2019-20 Bundesliga, RB Leipzig are the surprise table-toppers in Germany, two points ahead of defending seven-time champions Bayern Munich and three ahead of Borussia Dortmund.
Along with Leipzig and Bayern, VfL Wolfburg are the only other unbeaten team in the Bundesliga after five games.
Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski has struck a scorching pace atop the scoring chart, racking up a record-equalling nine goals in five games, having scored in each of the five games of the season.
On the sixth matchday of the season, Bayern travel to newly-promoted Paderborn while Dortmund welcome Werder Bremen to the Signal Iduna Park in North-Rhine Westphalia.
Here is a preview of the matchday 6 fixtures for Bayern and Dortmund.
Bayern Munich
Defending seven-time champions, Bayern Munich, started the season with a 2-2 home draw with Hertha but picked up pace as they sured wins overs Schalke, Mainz and Koln. They had a 1-1 draw with league leaders Leipzig away from home as well.
The record 28-time German champions have scored a league leading 16 goals after five matchdays.
Bayern striker Lewandowski's nine goal-tally is alone better than what 13 of the 18 teams in the Bundesliga have managed so far.
The Polish striker, who has scored in each of the first five games of the season, now has his sights on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who netted in each of the opening eight games in 2015-16.
On Matchday 6, Bayern travel to newly-promoted SC Paderborn 07 in a classic battle of David vs Goliath.
In the only pair of Bundesliga meetings between the pair in 2014-15, Bayern did not concede a goal enroute to a 6-0 rout at the Benteler Arena in North Rhine Westphalia and a 4-0 win in Munich.
Lewandowski would be one of the first names on coach Niko Kovac's starting line-up for the Paderborn game. But it remains to be seen if he would be supported by Thomas Müller or Philippe Countinho in the no. 10 role.
A goal at the Benteler Arena would make Lewandowski the first Bayern player to find the back of the net in six consecutive games from the start of the season. A brace would make him go level with Manfred Burgsmüller (213 goals) for tied fourth-place in the all-time list of Bundesliga top-scorers.
Jann-Fiete Arp (fractured wrist), Leon Goretzka (thigh) and Ivan Perisic (flu) are out of the game against Paderborn. With David Alaba (groin) resuming training, Lucas Hernandez is expected to start as Bayern's left-back.
Anything but a comprehensive win for the Die Roten at Paderborn, the Bundesliga's only club without a win, would be a massive surprise ahead of the Bavarians Champions League mid-week trip to Tottenham.
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund hit the ground running with wins over Augsburg and Koln, before being knocked off top-spot following a 1-3 reverse at newly promoted Union Berlin on Matchday 3. BVB have since bounced back with a 4-0 home win over Bayer 04 Leverkusen and a 2-2 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt to sit in third place, three points adrift of table toppers RB Leipzig.
On Matchday 6, Dortmund welcome Werder Bremen to the Signal Iduna Park. In the 102 previous Bundesliga games between the pair, Dortmund triumphed on 43 occasions, which includes 31 home wins, and lost 41 games (10 home defeats).
BVB have won nine of their last 10 home games against Bremen, with the visitors registering their tenth and latest win at Dortmund in a 2-1 victory in 2017-18. Dortmund's run of scoring in each of their last 27 home games in the league is one shy of their club record set under Jürgen Klopp.
Marco Reus (12), who has scored more Bundesliga goals against Bremen than against any other side, along with Paco Alcácer and Jadon Sancho, would carry the bulk of Dortmund's attacking threat against Bremen.
Young English winger Sancho (three goals and four assists) has scored or set up at least one goal in all five of Dortmund's league games this season. Sancho and Thorgan Hazard are expected to feature on the opposite wings.
Barring Nico Schulz (ankle ligament) and Mats Hummels (back), coach Lucien Favre has an otherwise full contingent of players to summon for the Bremen game.