© Reuters
Germany boss Hansi Flick is expected to make a few changes to his starting XI as he aims to keep up his perfect record during Friday evening's World Cup 2022 qualifier against Romania.
Die Mannschaft have won all three games since Flick took charge after Euro 2020 - beating Liechtenstein 2-0, Armenia 6-0 and Iceland 4-0 - but injuries and a fresh opponent will see a few changes to his lineup.
Marc-Andre Ter Stegen has returned to the squad but captain Manuel Neuer looks set to retain his spot between the sticks, particularly after three consecutive clean sheets.
Defender Matthias Ginter is also in the squad for the first time under Flick, having missed the internationals in September because of an illness, but the back four will likely remain the same as for the last match against Iceland.
The absence of Robin Gosens due to a hamstring injury means that Paris Saint-Germain's Thilo Kehrer will continue at left-back alongside Antonio Rudiger, Niklas Sule and Jonas Hofmann in a back four, with Bayern Munich duo Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich certain to start ahead of them in midfield as Ilkay Gundogan is out injured and Toni Kroos has retired from international duty.
In attack, the trio of Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane, and Timo Werner have been ripping up European defences with 16 goal contributions between them in the qualifiers to this point, but the emergence of 18-year-old Florian Wirtz - who has played a direct hand in nine goals during six league starts for Bayer Leverkusen this season - and the presence of Kai Havertz may mean that Gnabry, who only recently returned from injury, misses out.
Germany currently have seven players who are one booking away from a one-match ban - a couple of those are not in the current squad, but Rudiger and Kimmich, in particular, will need to be careful.
Germany possible starting lineup: Neuer; Hofmann, Sule, Rudiger, Kehrer; Kimmich, Goretzka; Havertz, Wirtz, Sane; Werner
James Mackenzie
