Five facts ahead of RB Leipzig's match against Leverkusen

- RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons is already getting his bones kicked in his first Bundesliga season. The Dutch international is the most fouled player in the league. The 20-year-old has already been unfairly stopped 39 times. There were seven fouls against the midfielder against Frankfurt alone.

- Leverkusen are doing historically well at the moment. Bayer picked up 45 points in the first half of the season, more than ever before in the club's history. In any case, this mark has only ever been set in the Bundesliga by FC Bayern Munich, who picked up 47, 46 and 45 points between 2013 and 2016.

- Leipzig have not won in their last two Bundesliga games. A total of 46 shots on goal resulted in a 1-1 draw in Bremen and a 0-1 draw against Frankfurt. There have never been three consecutive league games without a win under coach Marco Rose.

- Two counter-attacking aces face off in the top match. Leverkusen scored eight times from counter-attacks (like Bayern), Leipzig scored one goal less.

- The defeat at the start of the year was a rare Leipzig experience. In the past five years, the team had always started the new year with a win. There have never been two consecutive defeats in the Bundesliga to start the year.