BVB Dortmund Borussia Dortmund - BSC Hertha BSC Hertha BSC

The final score is harsh on Hertha and doesn't reflect how well they played for much of the game, but Dortmund were simply much more clinical today. Their victory – their eighth in as many games in 2023 – moves them level on 43 points with Bayern Munich and Union Berlin in the standings. BVB are in second place on goal difference alone, while Bayern and Union meet in Munich next weekend. What a title race we have in store!

There will be five additional minutes played.

Dortmund are trying to take the sting out of Hertha's momentum by keeping ball and stroking it around at the back and in midfield. You get the sense that if they can weather this storm, BVB will go on and get another goal or two, but a Hertha equaliser would obviously change the flow of the game entirely.

Dortmund get the ball rolling in the second half.

The hosts haven't been at their best but two moments of magic from Adeyemi - who has sadly had to go off injured - have given them a comfortable lead. It's hard to see Hertha coming back from this, but they have had some encouraging moments and forced Kobel to make some good saves.

It's a congested midfield battle right now as the teams try to assert themselves. Lots of throw-ins and tackles, but no goalmouth action as yet.

Hertha get the ball rolling against a Dortmund sided kitted out in a special-edition all-black kit.

Schalke have just held Union Berlin to a 0-0 draw, meaning the latter move level on 43 points with league leaders Bayern. A win for Dortmund now would lift them on to 43 points too!

BVB have won 34 of the 71 (48 percent ) Bundesliga meetings between these sides, including seven of the last eight. It's an even more daunting prospect for Hertha at the Signal Iduna Park, where Dortmund have taken maximum points a whopping 63 percent of the time (22 from 35). There have been nine draws overall in Dortmund, with just four Hertha victories - the most recent of which was on 21 December 2013!

Hertha coach Sandro Schwarz has name an unchanged side following last week's 4-1 triumph over Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Edin Terzic has made four changes to his team following the midweek victory over Chelsea. Mats Hummels comes in for Niklas Süle at centre-back, Jude Bellingham is given a rest - the first time he's not in a Bundesliga starting XI since May 2021 - so Donyell Malen starts, Julian Ryerson comes in for Raphael Guerreiro at left-back, with captain Marco Reus replacing Sebastien Haller in attack.

Christensen - Uremovic, Kempf, Dardai - Richter, Tousart, Cigerci, Serdar, Plattenhardt (c) - Ngankam, Niederlechner

Ernst, Rogel, Boetius, Lukebakio, Kenny, Mittelstädt, Boateng, Sunjic, Scherhant

Kobel - Wolf, Hummels, Schlotterbeck, Ryerson - Can, Özcan - Brandt, Reus (c), Malen - Adeyemi

Meyer, Reyna, Dahoud, Haller, Guerreiro, Bellingham, Meunier, Süle, Bynoe-Gittens

Jude Bellingham is just one win away from his Bundesliga half century and if he picks up his 50th German top-flight victory today, the Englishman will become the youngest player to ever do so. Bayern breakout Jamal Musiala is the current record holder.

Hertha have won three of their four Bundesliga matches so far this season on a Sunday.

The Dortmund midfielder has scored more goals against Hertha (seven) than he has against any other team.

Dortmund are the best team in the Bundesliga in 2023, winning all five games so far and scoring 15 goals in the process (five conceded).