1. FC Union Berlin will look to start 2020 on a high when the Bundesliga side from Köpenick head to title contenders RB Leipzig for Saturday’s 18:30 kick-off.

Urs Fischer’s men returned in good spirits from the winter break and will look to add to the 20 points haul from the first 17 top-flight games in the club’s history.

Review: Damp note in Düsseldorf, Leipzig win Hinrunde

1. FC Union Berlin dropped points in Düsseldorf on the last weekend before the winter break, extending a winless streak to three games. Michael Parensen's first top-flight goal levelled the scoreline early in the second half after Rouwen Hennings' opener. Union looked the team in command with another goal coming for Fischer's men. However, Zack Steffen's goal couldn't be breached and to make matters worse, Erik Thommy came off the bench and his solo-effort won the points for Friedhelm Funkel's side.

By keeping hold of the two-point gap at the top of the table, Leipzig secured the title “Autumn Champions” with a 3-1 win over Augsburg on December 21. Julian Nagelsmann opted to give his squad an extended break instead of a winter training camp. Leipzig’s players returned to training on January 6, four days later than Union. Loanee Patrik Schick has scored four in his last five, but Leipzig did lose Diego Demme, a key midfielder, to Napoli during the January transfer window. Timo Werner is the league's second top goalscroer with 18 for the season.

Record: Second best on away soil

Though the Köpenick club have tasted victory over RB Leipzig — a 2-1 win at home in September 2014 — the away results have gone in the opposite way. Steven Skrzybski and Sebastian Polter bagged goals in March 2015, but Leipzig ran out 3-2 winners in the end. On their route to promotion in 2016, Leipzig brushed Union aside with a 3-0 victory at the Red Bull Arena. Both Willi Orban and Yussuf Poulsen, who remain part of the current squad, got on the scoresheet that day. In August, Leipzig dominated the first Bundesliga game in Union history at the Alte Försterei, winning by four goals. Marcel Halstenberg quashed the early optimism with a goal after 16 minutes before strikes from Marcel Sabitzer, Timo Werner and Christopher Nkunku wrapped up a convincing win for Nagelsmann and his team.

Personnel: Squad issues for both teams

Andy Gogia, Laurenz Dehl and Joshua Mees are still longer-term absentees. Manuel Schmiedebach has a muscle problem, while Suleiman Abdullahi is back in rehab. Christopher Trimmel and Keven Schlotterbeck are doubts with illness. On the plus side, Lennard Maloney and Florian Hübner have trained with the team and Grischa Prömel is integrating himself with full training.

A bout of the flu has also hampered Leipzig’s preparations for Saturday’s match with Emil Forsberg, Ademola Lookman, Konrad Laimer, Tyler Adams and Nordi Mukiele struck down with illness last weekend. Marcel Sabitzer, who scored in the reverse fixture in Köpenick, trained on his own as he looks to improve his fitness ahead of the Rückrunde. Brazilian striker Matheus Cunha is currently on international day as he looks to secure qualification for the Olympic Games.

Service: Full away end in Leipzig

As expected, 1. FC Union Berlin will be backed by an outstanding travelling support in Leipzig. The club has sold more than 5,000 tickets for Saturday’s late kick-off.