Mainz twice come from behind on a barmy night at the Mewa Arena. Leverkusen's hot streak is over.

Five minutes for Leverkusen to find an equaliser...

Paulinho and Aranguiz are on for Leverkusen, moments after Stöger joins the action for Mainz. Frimpong, meanwhile, is down following an aerial collision with the Mainz sub. He's OK, though.

Scrap that previous comment. The goal has been ruled out following a VAR review. Niakahte was offside as the ball came in, and is adjudged to have been interfering with play.

Schick heads off with his arm round a physio for support. Alario's on as Onisiwo whips in a teasing ball, but Widmer's beaten to it in the six-yard box.

Both sides as they were in Mainz. If the second half is half as good as the first, we're in for a thrilling ride...

Niakhate's not happy about something as the whistle blows. He has to be held back by his teammates as Leverkusen head down the tunnel. The visitors lead through Schick, but you can't say they deserve it.

There'll be two additional minutes at the end of an entertaining first half at the Mewa Arena.

We have a serious game on in Mainz. Wirtz threads a pass into the feet of Andrich, who forces a flying save from Zentner. Mainz go up the other end with Widmer into the box, but his striker doesn't beat Hradecky.

Mainz are in white shirts, flecked with red, blue and yellow, while Leverkusen are in their change all-blue number.

If it weren’t for Bayern enjoying a record-setting season in front of goal, Leverkusen’s attack would be the envy of all. They are the second top scorers and are also the second most efficient team in the division, scoring 12.6 goals more than their xGoal value (itself the third highest in the division at 45.4) would indicate. They are also only behind Bayern in terms of shots (42) and goals (eight) following counter-attacks. Mainz, meanwhile, are five goals down (31) on what their xGoal suggests they should have (36).

Mainz boast the Bundesliga’s meanest defence this season with only 24 goals conceded – one fewer than Bayern. Only the champions have a lower xGoals Against value (22) than Svensson’s team (31.8). However, 19 of those goals have been shipped on the road. No other club comes close to the measly five Mainz have let in at home. For context, the next best home defences are Bayern and Bochum with 10 goals against.

It’s easy to forget that Mainz looked set to be relegated at this stage last year. Now they’re pushing for Europe – and it’s their home form that will get them there if they do. The 05ers have picked up 24 of their 31 points in 2021/22 at the Mewa Arena (77% - only Fürth have a higher proportion at 92%). Svensson’s side have lost just once here all season, winning each of the last four without conceding a single goal (a club record in the Bundesliga). Their seven clean sheets at home (from 11 games) is the best in the division.

Bayer looked like being embroiled in a real fight for the top four this season after an indifferent first half of the campaign, but they’ve switched it on since the turn of the year and picked up 13 of a possible 15 points from five games. Leaders Bayern, for example, have nine points. They’re the only team to have won their last four matches, which is their best run in the Bundesliga since autumn 2020 when they won five on the bounce.

Leverkusen in third have a chance to reduce their gap to Dortmund from five points to at best two before BVB host Gladbach on Sunday, also moving themselves 10 clear of Leipzig in fourth and ensuring a comfortable weekend. Mainz, meanwhile, start the matchday down in ninth but only three points off Leipzig. They could mathematically move into the Champions League spots overnight but would need to win by 10 goals. More realistic is fifth above Hoffenheim with a three-goal victory.

Never one to tinker, Bo Svensson names the same side that drew 1-1 at Freiburg last weekend. Gerardo Seoane is also evidently pleased with how his side played in their 4-2 win over Stuttgart, with his one changed enforced. Mitchel Bakker is suspended, so Piero Hincapie shifts over to left-back as fit-again Jonathan Tah slots in alongside Edmond Tapsoba in central defence.

Zentner - Bell, Hack, Niakhate (c) - Widmer, Stach, Kohr, Martin - Lee - Onisiwo, Burkardt

Riess, Brosinski, Nemeth, Stöger, Tauer, Barreiro, Boetius, Burgzorg, Ingvartsen

Hradecky (c) - Frimpong, Tah, Tapsoba, Hincapie - Andrich, Demirbay - Adli, Wirtz, Diaby - Schick

Grill, Lomb, Paulinho, Alario, Aranguiz, Sinkgraven, Fosu-Mensah, Palacios

Here you can find all the information about Mainz against Leverkusen on Matchday 23.