After securing a hard-fought draw against Dortmund, Borussia Monchengladbach welcome struggling Holstein Kiel in a fixture that promises attacking action and defensive frailties on both sides. With recent trends highlighting scoring prowess but defensive issues for both teams, this encounter is likely to produce goals at both ends.

Monchengladbach’s season has been a model of inconsistency, reflected in an even win-loss record and a slender +1 goal difference. However, their attacking output remains a strength, as they have found the net in all but 2 of their matches across all competitions.

At home, their defensive vulnerability is particularly pronounced, with both teams scoring in 5 of their 7 home games. Clean sheets have only come against Union Berlin and St. Pauli, two sides that were struggling for goals away from home at the time. Given Holstein Kiel’s defensive shortcomings, Monchengladbach’s scoring ability is expected to shine again, but their leaky defence too means they are unlikely to keep Kiel out.

Holstein Kiel are enduring a tough adjustment to life in the topflight. Their matches on the road have been goal-laden, with all 6 away fixtures featuring 3 or more goals – the highest percentage in the league. Averaging 1.5 goals per game on their travels, Kiel have impressively scored in every league outing, even against the likes of Leverkusen and Stuttgart. Yet, their defence has been their undoing, conceding 2.33 goals per away game and remaining winless on the road.

With Monchengladbach’s attacking quality meeting Kiel’s porous defence, as well as Kiel’s own ability to score offset by their defensive struggles, this encounter is poised to deliver goals from both sides.

As the Premier League enters its intense festive period, this clash between Newcastle and Leicester promises a thrilling encounter filled with goal-scoring potential. With both teams boasting attacking flair but plagued by defensive frailties, the likelihood of a high-scoring affair is considerable.

Newcastle’s matches this season have averaged 2.7 goals per game, a reflection of their potent attack paired with a defence that often leaves gaps. This combination has resulted in 3 or more goals being scored in 3 of their last 5 outings. Most notably, back-to-back 6-goal thrillers have underscored both their ability to find the net and their vulnerability at the back.

Leicester, meanwhile, find themselves in defensive disarray. Sitting just 5 points above the relegation zone, they hold the unenviable title of the Premier League’s second-worst defence, conceding an average of 2 goals per game. Their struggles are amplified on the road, where they are conceding 2.57 and have seen their matches average 4 goals per game. Leicester’s games this season have exceeded the 2.5-goal mark in 11 of their 15 fixtures, with all but 1 of their away matches not reaching this threshold.

Despite sitting 12th in the table, Newcastle remain within touching distance of European qualification, trailing those coveted spots by just five points. For Leicester, the stakes are equally high, as they seek a result to steer themselves further from the relegation battle. With both teams eager to score goals and their recent form highlighting defensive vulnerabilities, this encounter is set to deliver another action-packed spectacle.