S. Stegemann
Full-time
89'
AND IT'S FIVE!
Christopher Nkunku has his fourth assist of the night and Emil Forsberg has a goal for himself from the bench. A simple pass to meet his run into the box and he finishes it calmly on his left foot past Nübel. More icing on the Leipzig cake.
88'
HAIDARA FORCES A SAVE
Leipzig just keep coming at the Schalke goal as Nkunku sets up Haidara for a strike. It stings the palms for Nübel, but he's able to keep the ball out.
85'
ONLY BVB WITH MORE SCORERS
Angelino has also become Leipzig's 14th different scorer in the Bundesliga this season. Only Dortmund have more different goalscorers so far in 2019/20.
84'
ANOTHER SPECIAL RECORD FOR WERNER
He's now scored 88 goals in 147 competitive games for Leipzig, levelling Daniel Frahn as the club's all-time top scorer.
83'
HUGE CHANCE FOR RAMAN
Gregoritsch plays a tidy ball into the box from the left and Raman pokes it at goal, but Gulacsi makes a solid save. Then the flag goes up on the far side to spare his blushes...
81'
ANGELINO MAKES IT FOUR!
A fantastic goal from the January signing. He receives Nkunku's pass on the edge of the box and darts past one, two defenders before smashing the ball across Nübel and into the far bottom corner. His first Bundesliga goal and it helps put the icing on a tasty cake for Leipzig tonight.
79'
WHAT IT ALL MEANS
Should things stay as they are, Leipzig stay within a point of Bayern at the top of the table and gain a couple of goals on the league leaders - currently sitting five goals behind Bayern in terms of goal difference.
75'
Substitution
71'
LEIPZIG TOO HOT TO HANDLE
It's simply been too good from Leipzig for Schalke to handle this evening. All the main men in attack have been on form, and the defence has worked like clockwork despite the various absentees.
70'
Substitution
68'
AND THERE'S NUMBER THREE!
Nkunku swings in the corner and Halstenberg meets it with a perfectly-timed run before heading the ball down and into the back of the net. Clinical evening from Leipzig showing exactly why they are where they are in the table.
67'
SOMEHOW NOT THREE...
Leipzig have another break with Nkunku on the ball. He reaches the Schalke box and lays a lovely ball through for Poulsen, whose effort is tipped away from goal by Nübel. Werner and Kabak chase the loose ball and it goes out for a corner with the Schalke defender winning that battle.
65'
Substitution
64'
SIMPLY TIMO
With his 21st goal of the season, Timo Werner has now equalled his personal record for goals in a Bundesliga season which he set in 2016/17. We think he may create a new record this season.
64'
LAIMER TAKES A KNOCK
The industrious midfielder is down after a challenge with Amine Harit. Was already struggling with a shoulder injury before today and with the scoreline as it is, Nagelsmann may give him the rest of the night off.
61'
WERNER WITH A STUNNING FINISH
The German does what he does best. He's played the ball by Nkunku and cuts inside from the left onto his right foot on the edge of the Schalke box. There's only one thing in his mind, and he duly smashes the ball into the far top corner past Nübel. Blink and you'll have missed it with the power behind that. 21st league goal of the season.
56'
SABITZER SHOULD SCORE...
Leipzig have bodies forward as they break with Angelino. He finds Nkunku, who in turns plays Sabitzer in on goal down the right side into the box. He only has Nübel to beat but drags his shot well wide of the mark.
55'
Substitution
54'
Substitution
53'
NKUNKU FORCES A SAVE
The Frenchman curls a shot at goal from 20 yards out which is parried away from his goal by Nübel.
51'
MOPPING IT ALL UP
Klostermann, Upamecano and Halstenberg have been outstanding so far in a back three for Leipzig. Nothing has got through them and they've been able to start attacks from the back. Yussuf Poulsen is now getting ready on the sidelines for a change in attack.
48'
SCHALKE CLEAR IN THEIR PLANS
Rather than bringing on the experience of Michael Gregoritsch in attack, Wagner has chosen to bring Kutucu into the game at the break. Clearly looking for a different outcome than what came with Matondo, but the youngsters share the same raw speed which is what Schalke are looking to make the most of here.
46'
Substitution
46'
SECOND HALF BEGINS
We're back underway at the Veltins-Arena with a change for the home side. Ahmed Kutucu coming on for Rabbi Matondo up front.
Kick-off!
45'
+ 1
STILL ALL TO PLAY FOR
It's been a great performance from Leipzig so far, who took the lead early on and have not looked like letting it slip since. Marcel Sabitzer, Timo Werner and Patrik Schick have been heavily involved and each could have found the net in that first half. Schalke will need to find new ideas to beat this Leipzig side this evening.
Half-time
41'
CLOSING ON THE BREAK
Lepizig have proven once again in this first half why they are challenging for the title this season. A well-drilled, professional performance so far with very few mistakes made by any player. Schalke know they can undo them, as they did in their meeting in Leipzig, but they'll need some fresh inspiration to do it again.
34'
AND NOW SCHICK...
Sabitzer sends a perfect cross towards the back post from the edge of the box and Schick's run is timed to an inch to meet it, but he can only put the ball wide of the Schalke goal as the chances pile up for Leipzig.
33'
SABITZER AGAIN!
Almost a carbon-copy for Sabitzer as Werner lays him the ball and he goes for goal from range with space ahead of him. He curls a shot for the far post with Nübel stranded, but it drifts just beyond the post.
31'
BIG DOUBLE CHANCE
Werner is away down the left and cuts inside past Kabak into the box. He goes for goal with a shot which is deflected to the back post and Sabitzer, who is onside. He has to adjust after a weak first touch and shoots with his left foot in the end, sending the ball high over the crossbar in doing so.
29'
CHANCES DRYING UP NOW
We've just had 10 minutes or so of midfield battling here. Both side's defences doing well in the face of speedy attacks, especially that of Leipzig who have still to allow a Schalke shot on goal. The away side not pressing things too hard.
22'
LEIPZIG ON IT EARLY
The away side had 5 shots in the opening 18 minutes of this game to Schalke's none. One of those, of course, coming after just 55 seconds and ending in Marcel Sabitzer's goal.
16'
ENJOYING THE BALL
The home side may not have had a shot at goal yet, but they are enjoying 60 per cent of the ball so far in this game and getting forward well. So far, Leipzig's last line has been the only thing to stop them.
11'
ROYAL BLUE COUNTER
David Wagner has clearly gone for the same tactic which helped Schalke earn a stunning 3-1 win at Leipzig earlier this season with pace leading the attack. They break with Harit through the middle and he finds Matondo in the box, but the Welshman was in an offside position.
9'
SCHICK STRUTTING
The in-form striker is getting into this game now. He's had a shot blocked inside the box and has been dribbling at defenders early on here. He definitely looks a man glad to be with Leipzig.
6'
LAIMER NOW SUSPENDED
A blow for Leipzig with Laimer booked already. He'll now miss the visit of Bayer Leverkusen next Sunday.
5'
SCHALKE NOT AFRAID
The home side have responded well to going behind. Rabbi Matondo showing his speed down the left with a counter-attack which, in the end, comes to nothing. But the home side are pressing hard to make life difficult for their visitors.
1'
WHAT A HIT!
And with less than a minute gone, Leipzig take the lead. Werner plays the ball to Sabitzer in space. He's 25 yards from goal but lines up a shot which he piledrives at goal with all his power and in glides into the top corner through Nübel. The Schalke 'keeper will be disappointed.
1'
WE'RE UNDERWAY AT THE VELTINS
Kick-off under the big bright lights. Let's sit back and enjoy this one...
Kick-off!
A BLOCKBUSTER SATURDAY
It's a packed crowd in the Veltins-Arena this evening for the visit of Leipzig to Gelsenkirchen. The away side are all in red tonight, against the blue and white of Schalke. It's almost time...
BIG BOOST FOR LEIPZIG
Konrad Laimer suffered a shoulder injury in the midweek win in London and was a doubt coming into this game. He's been passed fit and it's an unquestionably big boost for Leipzig with Laimer the man who keeps things ticking over in midfield while the attacking names take all the headlines.
THE DANGER OF LEIPZIG
Timo Werner's 20 goals from 22 matches is the best return by a German national since Gerd Müller in 1976/77. Leipzig's only two goals in their three Bundesliga visits to Gelsenkirchen have been scored by Werner, who has not scored or assisted in his last four league games. Meanwhile, Schick has scored in three of his last five away games in the Bundesliga. His six goals from 12 league games in Germany is already more than he managed in 46 games over two Serie A campaigns with Roma (five).
HARIT THE KEY?
Amine Harit has had a hand in a club-high 10 Bundesliga goals this season. He made his debut in the league against Leipzig in August 2017, providing an assist in the 2-0 win.
HOME ROYAL BLUE COMFORTS
Schalke had the worst record in the league at home last season, but are now unbeaten in 10 at the Veltins-Arena under David Wagner. They last went 11 without defeat in 2009/10 under Felix Magath. Reaching that 11th game would be a real statement to the rest of the league of their intentions for the rest of the season.
LEIPZIG LOOKING TO END THE WEEK IN STYLE
Julian Nagelsmann's side return from London with a 1-0 aggregate lead in their Champions League last-16 tie with Tottenham Hotspur. From that game, Dayot Upamecano comes in for Ethan Ampadu here and Leipzig are in Gelsenkirchen tonight looking for another win. A win that would keep them within one point of leaders Bayern Munich.
SCHALKE STARTING XI!
Nübel - Kenny, Kabak, Nastasic, Oczipka - McKennie, Mascarell (c), Serdar - Harit - Matondo, Raman
SCHALKE SUBS:
Langer, Miranda, Todibo, Becker, Boujellab, Schöpf, Gregoritsch, Kutucu, Burgstaller
LEIPZIG STARTING XI!
Gulacsi - Klostermann, Upamecano, Halstenberg - Mukiele, Sabitzer (c), Laimer, Angelino - Nkunku, Schick, Werner
LEIPZIG SUBS:
Mvogo, Ampadu, Haidara, Wolf, Olmo, Poulsen, Forsberg, Lookman
Welcome along to the match centre for the game Schalke vs. Leipzig from matchday 23 of the 2019/20 Bundesliga season at the VELTINS-Arena. Check back here for full information on the match.