Leipzig win as Nkunku returns

Wolfsburg 0-3 Leipzig
Goals: 0-1 Forsberg (14'), 0-2 Laimer 85' (assist: Nkunku), 0-3 Szoboszlai 90'+2 (assist: Schlager)

Wolfsburg went into this game without a win in their previous four competitive fixtures, but began with pep and vigour in a bid to put that to rights. Ridle Baku and Paulo Otavio had early efforts at goal, but their momentum was checked when Leipzig took the lead against the run of play. Andre Silva made a nuisance of himself on the break around the edge of the Wolfsburg penalty area and when the ball fell kindly to Emil Forsberg, the Swede made no mistake with his volley into the bottom corner from 20 yards. Leipzig took control after that and went close to adding to their lead through a brilliant, swerving Dominik Szoboszlai free-kick that struck the outside of the post.

The flow of the game remained unchanged in the second half as Willi Orban headed narrowly wide at the back post from a David Raum cross. The Wolves tried to muster a response, but the best they could produce was a trademark Maximilian Arnold free-kick that Janis Blaswich was comfortably able to thwart. Nkunku was introduced in the 69th minute and immediately made his presence felt, first scampering to the byline to dig out a cross before showing a touch of ring rust in lashing over the bar with only Koen Casteels to beat. The Frenchman did serve up a reminder of what Leipzig have missed of late, however, teeing up fellow substitute Konrad Laimer to squeeze in a second goal late on. Szoboszlai add further gloss to the scoreline in stoppage time with a well-taken third to seal a deserved victory for the visitors.

• Nkunku was in the Leipzig squad for the first time in three months, since sustaining an injury on 12 November 2022.
• Szoboszlai made his 50th Bundesliga appearance in this game.
• Casteels made his 200th Bundesliga outing for Wolfsburg; Baku his 100th.
• Forsberg's goal was his third in the league this season, and first in 2023.
• Wolfsburg's 18-year-old Lukas Ambros made his Bundesliga debut.
• Leipzig have won just four of 11 away games in this season's Bundesliga, but are unbeaten on the road since Rose took charge (W4, D3).

>>> Get Nkunku for your Fantasy team for 17.7M!

Watch: Nkunku: "I'm happy and positive"

Wolfsburg: Casteels - Baku, Bornauw, Van de Ven, Otavio (Lacroix 46') - F. Nmecha (Ambros 74'), Arnold (c), Gerhardt - Wimmer (Svanberg 59'), Wind (L. Nmecha 59'), Waldschmidt (Marmoush 46')
Unused subs: Pervan, Fischer, Guilavogui, Franjic,
Out: Paredes (ill)
Coach: Niko Kovac

Leipzig: Blaswich - Klostermann, Orban (c), Gvardiol, Raum (Halstenberg 88') - Haidara (Kampl 88'), Schlager - Szoboszlai, Forsberg (Laimer 75'), Werner (Poulsen 75') - Silva (Nkunku 69')
Unused subs: Nyland, Simakan, Henrichs, Clark
Out: Diallo (knee), Gulacsi (knee), Olmo (thigh)
Coach: Marco Rose