1.FC Köln - MSV Duisburg

Cologne to claim comfortable home win

TEAM NEWS

At Cologne, Nikolas Nartey is sidelined with a foot injury.

Duisburg’s Moritz Stoppelkamp has a thigh issue which will keep him out of this weekend league clash. Meanwhile, Enis Hajri is still recovering from an ankle injury while the long-term injured Christian Gartner is expected to be out for the remainder of the year.

Cologne

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Nikolas Nartey (foot)

Duisburg

Suspended: None

Doubtful: None

Injured/unavailable: Christian Gartner (knee), Enis Hajri (ankle), Moritz Stoppelkamp (thigh)

MATCH PREVIEW

MAIN PREDICTION: HOME WIN

Cologne continued their excellent run last Friday, with an impressive 3-1 win against Bielefeld at Schuco Arena putting them on 19 points last weekend. Markus Anfang’s men have made a strong start to their season, winning six, drawing one and losing just one of their eight league games this far. No side in Germany's second division has scored more than Cologne (21), with goal getter Simon Terodde alone scoring 12 goals in his six starts so far.

Duisburg, who nearly made the playoffs last term, have endured a miserable start to this campaign. The side began their league season with four defeats on the bounce and only two points have followed since then as the side remain winless. It has been an abysmal run which has seen them slip down to the bottom of the table. They are coming off a 3-1 defeat on home soil against Jahn Regensburg in the league last weekend. Coach Iliya Gruev was fired afterwards with Torsten Lieberknecht signing as their new coach shortly after.

Cologne should be far too strong for Lieberknecht’s out-of-sort Duisburg on Monday. I’m backing the home side to cruise to a comfortable victory at Rheinenergie Stadium.

SECOND PREDICTION: FIRST TEAM TO SCORE – COLOGNE

Cologne have been the first team to score in three of their last four league matches. I think they will score the opener against rock-bottom side Duisburg here too.

HEAD TO HEAD

These two have not met in league action since 2012-13 when both encounters finished level.