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• Alonso hopeful Leverkusen can bounce back despite short turnaround

  Xabi Alonso is hopeful the short time he has had with his Bayer Leverkusen players will be sufficient to get them back to winning ways against Hoffenheim.

  Leverkusen's 35-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga ended in their last match, losing just their second game of the campaign at home to RB Leipzig after going the whole of the last league season without a defeat.

  The international break has since reduced their preparation time for the trip to Hoffenheim, but Alonso remains optimistic about their chances of bouncing back.

  "It was an express preparation, with an express meeting with the team, and individual discussions," Xabi Alonso told reporters on Friday.

  "Friday is our last training session with the whole team. Of course, we don't have a lot of time to prepare for Saturday, but that's our normal dynamic.

  "We will see if this express meeting was efficient or not."

  Leverkusen needed a late goal to snatch a 3-2 win at Borussia Monchengladbach in their opener, before going down 3-2 against Leipzig, but the manager does not believe it is all doom and gloom.

  "We're doing a lot of things very well, but there are a few things we need to improve to reach our best level," he said.

  "There aren't too many things, but there are important things to improve. Hopefully, we have a better performance, a more complete performance.

  "It's a football and a mentality issue. We have to improve tactically, with the ball, but also with our mentality and concentration to improve and be a bit better."

  The coach said that all his players returned healthy from international duty, and he took the time to back his defender Jonathan Tah after the German came under criticism from an opposition manager.

  After the 2-2 Nations League draw between Germany and the Netherlands on Tuesday, Dutch manager Ronald Koeman said that Tah, who was replaced at half-time, had big problems and made a lot of mistakes.

  "It's his opinion. My opinion is that Jonathan is a top player for us," Alonso said.

  "What he did in the international break, the international game is not my topic. And he was here yesterday, in a good mood, with a good feeling, so that's my main concern."

• Hull City 0-2 Sheffield United: Hamer and McCallum goals send Blades third

  Sheffield United continued their fine start to the Championship with a comfortable 2-0 win away to Hull City.

  Goals from Gustavo Hamer and Sam McCallum were enough to give Chris Wilder's side victory and send them up to third in the table.

  The home side made an encouraging start to the game but fell behind after a stunning Blades counter-attack, with Callum O'Hare driving forward before playing in Hamer, who gave keeper Ivor Pandur no chance with a neat finish.

  Hull went close to equalising through Abdulkadir Omar's free-kick, but he was thwarted by a flying save from Michael Cooper in the Sheffield United goal.

  The away side doubled their advantage in the second half as substitute McCallum swept in a fine effort from Andre Brooks' cutback.

  Marvin Mehlem nearly handed the Tigers a way back into the encounter, but his header crashed against the crossbar, leaving Hull 19th in the table, still without a league win this campaign.

  Data debrief: Blades make best start in 12 years

  With three wins and two draws under their belt in the Championship, Sheffield United will be proud of how they have adapted to life back in the second tier.

  It marks their best start to a campaign since the 2012-13 season, which saw them go unbeaten in their first 16 games in League One.

  Wilder also continued his good record as Blades boss at MKM stadium, winning a fourth successive match away to Hull after losing in February 2018, in his first spell in charge.

   

   

• Borussia Dortmund 4-2 Heidenheim: Adeyemi stars with brace to inspire win

  Karim Adeyemi scored twice and set up another goal as Borussia Dortmund earned a 4-2 victory over visitors Heidenheim on Friday.

  Adeyemi first set up Donyell Malen, who drilled his low shot through Kevin Muller to give the hosts the lead in the 12th minute.

  The 22-year-old then doubled their advantage six minutes later with his first goal after completing a textbook break five minutes later.

  Heidenheim briefly cut the deficit with Marvin Pieringer's powerful header after 39 minutes, but Dortmund restored their two-goal cushion before the break with Adeyemi's low drive wrongfooting the goalkeeper.

  The visitors set up a nervy finish after being awarded a 74th-minute penalty for a foul by Niklas Sule on Mikkel Kaufmann, with Maximilian Breunig confidently hitting the back of the net.

  But Dortmund earned a spot kick themselves in stoppage time thanks to Omar Traore's handball, and Emre Can coolly slotted in to make it 4-2.

  Data Debrief: Home advantage

  While it looked like Dortmund may be in for a nervy ending after Heidenheim's late penalty, that was not the case, and it means they extend an impressive home record.

  The Black and Yellow are unbeaten in 37 Bundesliga home games on a Friday since a 1-0 loss to Schalke in January 2004, which is a league record, level with Werder Bremen between 1984 and 1991). 

  Dortmund are unbeaten so far this campaign, but Heidenheim's six-match winning run in all competitions is now at an end.