Monchengladbach vs Hertha BSC Berlin preview - Favre urges return to stability

Borussia Monchengladbach coach Lucien Favre says he will not let three defeats in a row unsettle his team as he prepares to welcome Hertha Berlin to the Borussia Park Stadion this Saturday.

The Foals were unbeaten in their first 18 games of the season in all competitions, but they have since lost to Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg.

Those defeats have seen them lose their grip on a place in the top three, but they have not made Favre lose his grasp on reality.

"We've put those defeats behind us," he said at a press conference. "I analyse all of our games and I see that the ones we have just lost were not that much different to the ones we won.

"It usually comes down to just the smallest of details."

The Swiss coach hopes those minor details favour his side this weekend against a club who may be six points adrift of his own, but who are not that many miles behind.

"It's going to be a tough job against good opponents," Favre added. "They are very dangerous when they press you and when they gain possession.

"We've got to be ready for everything."

Martin Stranzl cannot follow that ethos with injury once again sidelining the Austrian defender, but Granit Xhaka is back for this game after suspension.

Valentin Stocker is Hertha's biggest absentee with their coach Jos Luhukay considering playing with a three-man attack rather than finding a like-for-like replacement for the Swiss midfielder.

"It depends whether I want to play an attacking or defensive style," he said.

"This season, whenever there has been any doubt, it has been best to go defensive, but we want the points in Gladbach."

That could mean a return to the starting XI for Salomon Kalou, who has been left on the bench recently, despite being the club's top goalscorer this season.

The defensive alternative would be to brink Peter Pekarik back in after injury and move Per Skjelbred into Stocker's role.

The depth of Luhukay's ambition in Gladbach will be revealed come kick-off.