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Leverkusen shipped four goals in the first half at the weekend, with Jamie Leweling scoring twice and Deniz Undav getting three goal involvements - two goals and two assists.

It was Leverkusen's heaviest defeat since itwas routed 7-2 by Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League in October, and a league-high 36 goals have now been scored in the first half of its Bundesliga matches this season.

Leverkusen is still fourth in the Bundesliga but only ahead of fifth-placed Stuttgart on goal difference, with Hoffenheim and Eintracht Frankfurt also within three points of it as the battle for European qualification heats up.

Hamburg, meanwhile, is 13th on the table and four points clear of the relegation play-off spot.

"We're not panicking," Hjulmand said at his pre-match press conference. "Sometimes there are simply setbacks, that's all part of it.

"We remain calm, are optimistic and feel good. The players know what to do.

"Of course, we've analysed the Stuttgart game and looked at our shape in one-v-ones and duels. We know we absolutely have to do better against HSV. That's our full focus now."

Leverkusen could have Christian Kofane and Ibrahim Maza available after Cameroon and Algeria were both eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations, but Hjulmand will check on their conditions ahead of the game.

"We have to see how they feel. I know how much pressure national teams are under at a tournament like this," the former Denmark boss said.

"It's important for me to talk to them and see them on the pitch to assess how ready they are." 

Hamburg has 16 points after 16 matchdays, one more than it had at the same stage of its previous Bundesliga season in 2017-2018 (15). 

Only once in its past five Bundesliga campaigns has Hamburg collected more points at this stage of the competition – winning 22 points from 16 games in 2015-2016.