Injury-hit Bayern eye win over St Pauli to stay on title course

Bayern Munich's defence will have to be overhauled for the visit of lowly St Pauli on Saturday following injuries to Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano, with the Bundesliga leaders in need of a win to remain on course for the title.

The Bavarians, who face Inter Milan in the Champions League quarter-finals next month, have gone two games without a Bundesliga victory and their lead over second-placed Bayer Leverkusen has been cut to six points.

Bayern are top with 62 while reigning champions Leverkusen are on 56. Mainz 05 are in third place with 45.

The Bundesliga leaders must reshuffle their rearguard after left back Davies suffered an ACL tear to his right knee in the 12th minute of Canada's 2-1 win over the United States in the CONCACAF Nations League third-place playoff on Sunday.

The 24-year-old will miss the rest of the season in a major blow to Bayern coach Vincent Kompany's plans.

Bayern will also be without Upamecano for weeks after the Frenchman finished his country's Nations League quarter-final shootout win over Croatia but picked up a knee injury.

The pair are Bayern's quickest defenders and most suited to Kompany's high-pressing, quick transition game, with likely replacements Eric Dier, Josip Stanisic or Hiroki Ito lacking some of their pace.

Whatever the final lineup, Bayern will look to avoid another home debacle after their 3-2 loss to visitors VfL Bochum in their most recent home game, after leading 2-0.

They followed that up with a 1-1 draw at Union Berlin before going into the international break last week.

Despite their injury setbacks, Bayern will not budge from their season targets, said sports director Max Eberl.

"The absences of Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano are a big blow for Bayern," Eberl said.