Recent trends point to half-time parity between these two sides when they clash on Thursday.
Augsburg v RB Leipzig – Friday 19:30, BT Sport Europev
Leipzig remain 2nd in the Bundesliga after 22 rounds, and they have returned to winning ways with back-to-back league victories after consecutive losses. They visit Augsburg, who are seven points clear of the relegation zone in 13th and just three points behind Leverkusen in eighth – a home win for them here would go a long way towards guaranteeing them top-flight football next season.
Augsburg’s record against top-six sides at home is very weak over the last two seasons. They’ve failed to win any of their home games against such sides, but they’ve managed to keep things relatively tight as three of the last four have seen fewer than three goals. They will have one eye on RB Leipzig’s strong record against bottom-half sides this season: winning eight of 10 such matches, including five of six on the road. However, after three losses to nil in their last four away league games this isn’t the banker it looked when in the middle of an eight game winning streak before Christmas.
Leipzig haven’t been consistent enough on their travels recently for us to back them at 1.95, but they have been level at the break in three of their six away games against bottom-half sides. Since Augsburg, meanwhile, are half-time draw specialists having drawn the opening 45 in 15 of their last 19 matches and in seven of their last 10 at home against top-six opponents, we’ll back the half-time draw in what could be a cagey encounter.
