Sunday's singles

Backed The 11-of-12 count was built on two leaky, chaotic defences, but Köln's attack has just lost both senior strikers and Gladbach's new manager is explicitly trying to stop the bleeding that created the count in the first place.

The case against

• Köln have lost both of their recognised senior strikers for this derby, with Thijs Dallinga suffering a cruciate-ligament injury that will keep him out for months and Ragnar Ache sidelined with a thigh injury, on a side that scored only one goal in each of its last three league games.
• Gladbach have just appointed Alexander Blessin, who favours a back three and has already told his players that sitting in a deeper block demands constant defensive work, a clear break from the open, counter-friendly shape that conceded five twice and four twice in Gladbach's last four games.
• Gladbach's captain and most important forward Tim Kleindienst had a fresh fitness scare this week after cutting training short feeling unwell, adding real uncertainty to Gladbach's attack right before the derby even though one preview has him back from suspension.

Missing: Thijs Dallinga (1. FC Köln): One of Köln's two senior strikers, ruled out for several months with a cruciate-ligament injury, removing a central goal threat from a side already scoring just once a game in its last three matches.; Ragnar Ache (1. FC Köln): Köln's other main centre-forward, described as one of the club's most dependable attacking weapons, now sidelined with a thigh injury alongside Dallinga, leaving Köln without either first-choice striker for the derby.; Tim Kleindienst (Borussia Mönchengladbach): Gladbach's captain and historically their top scorer, who had to cut training short this week after feeling unwell, creating a doubt over Gladbach's main central attacking outlet just before kickoff.