Whether they have been home or away, Borussia Dortmund have won their past eight Bundesliga meetings with Borussia Mönchengladbach. During that run, BVB have scored 25 goals – an average of over three per game. Read the match preview below.

The scenario: This fixture pits eighth against first, but the gap between the teams is small (12 and 16 points respectively) and would narrow to one point with a win for the home side. The Black & Yellows have won each of their past eight matches against the Foals and 12 of their last 13 home games, taking 37 out of a possible 39 points. Borussia Mönchengladbach currently occupy top spot in the Bundesliga for the first time since Matchday 3 of the 2011/12 season. However, the men from the Lower Rhine have not won a league game while top of the table since May 1977 (there have been three draws and three defeats).

Home/away: BVB have netted at least twice in each of their 20 Bundesliga home games under Lucien Favre. They have won 16 of those 20 games, with three ending in draws and one in defeat. Gladbach have won each of their past four away games in a run that started last season. The last time the club put together a run like that was under Bernd Krauss over 24 years ago. The last away defeat came half a year ago – 27 April, when they lost 1-0 in Stuttgart, to be precise.

Personnel matters: BVB are without Alcácer (irritated Achilles tendon), while Piszczek is doubtful. Gladbach are without Ginter (shoulder dislocation), Johnson (adductor injury), Traoré (torn ankle ligaments), Bennetts (torn muscle bundle), Müsel (knee operation) and Strobl (fitness training following knee operation).

Head-to-head record: It is the first time since the inception of the Bundesliga that either of the two clubs – in this case Borussia Dortmund! – have won eight consecutive games against the other, with the Black & Yellows emerging victorious in every match since the start of the 2015/16 campaign. It is their longest ongoing winning run against any current Bundesliga club. BVB have won 12 of their last 13 home games against the Foals. Dortmund have taken the points from 22 matches against Gladbach in which they conceded first – a Bundesliga record.

Statistics: Matches involving Borussia Dortmund have been the highest-scoring in the division this term (30 goals). The Black & Yellows have created 16 major chances, a tally surpassed only by Leipzig (19) and Gladbach (18). Eight different players have scored for the Westphalians – no other club has more individual goalscorers. Gladbach have won five of their seven games this season. Their tally of 15 goals scored has been surpassed by only two teams, while only Wolfsburg (four goals) have conceded fewer than the Foals (six goals).

Biggest win: The biggest victory over Gladbach came in September 2012, with BVB winning 5-0 thanks to goals from Marco Reus (two), Neven Subotic, Ilkay Gündogan and Jakub Blaszczykowski.

Attendance: SIGNAL IDUNA PARK is sold out with 81,365 spectators set to attend.

Referee: Sascha Stegemann, 35, will be refereeing his fourth league game this season. On average, he has given one caution for every five fouls (only Harm Osmers goes to his pocket quicker). The public administration graduate has been a Bundesliga referee since 2014 and has previously overseen three games involving BVB (one win, two draws).
Compiled by Boris Rupert