The premier fixture of Round 11 slate in the Bundesliga takes place in Gelsenkirchen on Saturday evening when fourth-place Schalke play host to league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
Schalke, who performed a great escape to a earn a 3-3 draw against Hamburg last weekend, won in the German Cup during the week, and they have not lost since a defeat at home to Wolfsburg on 18 September.
Leverkusen, meanwhile, have dropped four points in their last two games, including a 1-1 draw against Borussia Dortmund last weekend. They continue to lead the league on goal difference, but their slip-ups have allowed Bremen and Schalke to close the gap.
Schalke have a very healthy squad ahead of Saturday's game, but Jermaine Jones, David Loheider and Christian Pander continue to miss out as they recover from injuries and operations.
Leverkusen have no new injury concerns, but they are still without Michal Kadlec, Simon Rolfes, Renato August and Pierre de Wit.
It stands to be a thoroughly entertaining game at Veltins-Arena on Saturday, and the home crowd should be as vocal as ever. But Leverkusen have not lost a Bundesliga game to Schalke since February 2006 in a famous 7-4 thriller. Leverkusen have the experience necessary to get a result on the road.
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