Empoli and Udinese get the Serie A weekend underway when they meet at the Stadio Carlo Castellani on Friday evening.
In what appears to be a potential early-season relegation six-pointer, both sides enter the fixture in the bottom four, which is starting to become cut adrift.
Match preview
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Empoli have lost six of their first seven games in Serie A, and Udinese are still without a win, highlighting the importance of what a positive result could do for either side here.
Those six defeats for Empoli have all come without scoring, as their solitary goal remains Tommaso Baldanzi's vital strike in a 1-0 victory over Salernitana late last month.
Those three points keep Empoli off the foot of the table for now, with newly-promoted Cagliari on just two points from seven games.
A Riccardo Orsolini-inspired Bologna side thrashed Empoli 3-0 at the weekend though, with the Italian international netting a hat-trick in what was a very concerning result for manager Aurelio Andreazzoli.
That was just Andreazzoli's third match in charge after replacing Paolo Zanetti following Empoli's bruising 7-0 loss at Roma.
The Bologna clash, as well as this upcoming fixture with Udinese, will have been targeted as potential matches where they could pick up points, given the tricky tests Empoli have ahead of them, with trips to Fiorentina and Napoli as well as a clash with Atalanta to come here in the next five.
Udinese did come to the Carlo Castellani and win last season though, ending Empoli's three-match winning run at home in the fixture.
The visitors are yet to get off the mark in the wins column this season after seven games though, but four draws mean they do start the matchday outside of the relegation zone.
An injury-time own goal from Alan Matturro earned Udinese a rather fortunate point in their last league outing against Genoa on Sunday.
While it was a gift from the opposition, that was the third goal Udinese have scored in their last two, a notable improvement on the solitary one they managed in their opening five.
With games against Empoli next, and then Lecce and Monza after the international break, Udinese must move away from the drop zone before entering a daunting run of games in November.
Andrea Sottil's side travel to Bergamo to face Atalanta and the capital for a clash with Roma, while also welcoming AC Milan to the Dacia Arena - three games which look devilishly difficult on paper.
Even a win here at Empoli will likely keep Udinese down in 17th though, given the three-point gap and inferior goal difference to Lazio, who are one place above them.
Team News
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This game may come too soon for Empoli duo Daniel Maldini (muscle) and Elia Caprile (ankle), but returns after the international break are likely.
In defence, Andreazzoli will be without Polish international Bartosz Bereszynski and Giuseppe Pezzella for the foreseeable future.
Veteran Francesco Caputo will battle alongside youthful pair Nicolo Cambiaghi and Stiven Shpendi for one of the two spots up front, with all three yet to get off the mark in Serie A this season.
Sottil has a soberingly long list of players currently absent, and it is growing week-by-week.
A late red card for Sandi Lovric last week means the Slovenian will be absent from the Udinese midfield for this trip to Tuscany.
In attack, the talismanic Gerard Deulofeu is out with a knee injury, while new striking recruits Brenner and Keinan Davis join him on the sidelines.
Enzo Ebosse's knee injury will keep him out for another month, while Adam Masina is expected to return from a muscle problem after the international break.
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Berisha; Ebuehi, Walukiewicz, Luperto, Bastoni; Fazzini, Ranocchia, Maleh, Baldanzi; Caputo, Cambiaghi
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Perez, Bijol, Kristensen; Ebosele, Pereyra, Walace, Samardzic, Kamara; Success, Lucca
We say: Empoli 0-2 Udinese
Empoli's form provides very little for their supporters to be optimistic about, with six defeats already being accompanied by six blanks.
While winless, Udinese have shown more mettle and attacking quality in recent weeks, and may take the three points in this bottom-of-the-table clash.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Andrew Delaney
