Preview: Bayern Munich vs St Pauli - prediction, team news, lineups

Fresh from their first defeat of the season, Bayern Munich will be looking for an immediate return to winning ways when they host a struggling St Pauli side at the Allianz Arena this Saturday afternoon.

The Bavarians were beaten by Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday night, while the Kiezkickers have not tasted league victory since September.

Match preview

It took four long months and 19 competitive games, but Bayern Munich’s unbeaten start to the season finally came to an end.

The Bavarians were well beaten by the Premier League leaders away at the Emirates Stadium, though it is fair to suggest that a dip in form has been coming.

Bayern showed signs of fragility just before November's international break when their 16-match winning run came to an end following a 2-2 draw away at Union Berlin – a game which saw Harry Kane bag a stoppage-time equaliser.

Another sign of a dip came against Freiburg last weekend, with Bayern going 2-0 down in the opening 17 minutes at the Allianz Arena – a game which they ultimately won 6-2.

Having got their first defeat of the season out of the way, Vincent Kompany and his men will now be looking to rediscover their mean streak as they prepare to mark their 44th consecutive matchday at the top of the Bundesliga – surpassing a record they set in 1973.

St Pauli are also setting records in the Bundesliga this season, though not necessarily for all the right reasons.

Alexander Blessin’s men head into this game having already lost a club-record eight straight league games, failing to score in five of their last six.

While the manager still retains the support of the board, there is no question that the club are bracing themselves for a relegation battle this season.

Last weekend marked a continuation of St Pauli’s attacking and defensive problems, with the team losing 1-0 at home against Union Berlin.

Bearing in mind they have not won a league game since mid-September, St Pauli’s hopes of bagging their first victory over Bayern Munich since 2002 are rather bleak.

Nevertheless, they will be looking to put their best foot forward and give a good account of themselves – just like they did on their last trip to the Allianz Arena in March when they endured a 3-2 defeat.

Bayern Munich Bundesliga form:

W W W W D W

Bayern Munich form (all competitions):

W W W D W L

St Pauli Bundesliga form:

L L L L L L

St Pauli form (all competitions):

L L W L L L

Team News

Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry missed last weekend's game with Freiburg due to a slight knock, but he returned against Arsenal and chipped in with an assist.

Hiroki Ito marked his return from a foot injury by coming on for the final eight minutes against Freiburg, and he also set up a goal for the Bavarians.

Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala are both nearing returns, which is certainly a scary thought for all the other Bundesliga clubs, and Luis Diaz is back from a European ban.

St Pauli, on the other hand, head into their latest matchday without David Nemeth, who is still battling with a groin injury.

Midfielder Adam Dzwigala has been out of action for over a month with a muscle injury, and he is expected to remain on the sidelines.

Arkadiusz Pyrka and Manolis Saliakas are also doubtful, with both men expected to miss the trip to the Allianz Arena.

Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:

Neuer; Boey, Upamecano, Kim, Bischof; Kimmich, Goretzka; Karl, Olise, Diaz; Kane

St Pauli possible starting lineup:

Vasilj; Wahl, Smith, Mets; Pyrka, Fujita, Sands, Irvine, Oppie; Hountondji, Pereira Lage

We say: Bayern Munich 4-0 St Pauli

Having scored one goal in their last six Bundesliga games, the outlook for St Pauli this weekend is rather bleak.

Bayern have a ruthless nature about them, and once they get going, they could be hard to stop. With that in mind, we are backing a big win for the hosts.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.