Jamal Musiala v Florian Wirtz In Spotlight As Bayern Munich Face Bayer Leverkusen

Pulling the strings in Saturday's early Bundesliga title showdown between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen will be 21-year-old Germany forwards Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz. The midfielders, born within 10 weeks of each other in 2003, have combined brilliantly at international level, but will go head to head at Munich's Allianz Arena this weekend. While the match, held against the backdrop of Munich's Oktoberfest, comes just five games into the season, it will give the victors early bragging rights in what is likely to be a tight title race.

Last year, eventual champions Leverkusen laid down an early marker with a 2-2 draw in Munich, before thumping Bayern 3-0 in the return fixture.

Bayern are the only side to have won all four of their opening league fixtures, but Leverkusen sit just three points behind them in second place.

Retired Germany midfielder Toni Kroos lavished praise on the "dangerous" duo earlier this month via the podcast he hosts with his brother, former Union Berlin player Felix.

"These are two players we've longed for in Germany for years.

"Players who can turn a harmless situation into a dangerous one all by themselves."

Competing with other members of Bayern's high-quality attack including Harry Kane, Serge Gnabry and newcomer Michael Olise, Musiala has notched three goals and one assist in four league games this season.

In the same amount of matches, Wirtz -- Leverkusen's creative force -- has four goals and an assist, not to mention a brace on his Champions League debut in last week's demolition of Feyenoord.

In the lead-up, Musiala said the two were "good friends", adding "it's going to be a tough game and everyone's looking forward to it."

Their seven matches against each other have been