After changing coaches in midweek, Udinese again seek their first league win of the season when they visit mid-table Monza on Sunday.
While the Fruilani languish inside Serie A's drop zone and have just fired Andrea Sottil, their hosts are still unbeaten on home soil.
Match preview
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Having failed to win any of their first nine top-flight matches this term, after a 1-1 draw with Lecce on Monday evening, Udinese's board decided to act - and with good reason; in the past 15 Serie A seasons, eight of nine teams without a win at this stage have ultimately been relegated.
In all, the Fruilani were winless in 13 league matches when Andrea Sottil received his marching orders on Tuesday, and that represents the club's longest such streak since 2018.
Leaving Udinese 18th in the table, Sottil oversaw 50 matches during his time at the Dacia Arena, but after winning seven of the first 10 - including victories over Roma and Inter - his returns grew ever thinner until patience finally ran out.
'New' coach Gabriele Cioffi previously occupied the hotseat before Sottil was appointed last year, and then endured a difficult spell in charge of Verona - he now returns with the task of producing both more goals and more points.
The Bianconeri's shot conversion rate of 4.1% is better only than fellow strugglers Empoli, and replacing Portuguese striker Beto - who left for Everton in the summer - has proved an irresolvable problem.
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Perhaps well-placed to take advantage of their visitors' misery, Monza boast a 100% win rate against opponents in the bottom half of the table this season, with three wins out of three such games so far.
Looking back over the past few decades, precedent is also on the Biancorossi's side this weekend, as they have lost just one of six home matches against Udinese in either Serie A or B - albeit that sole defeat came as recently as August of last year.
Partly thanks to a 3-0 win over Salernitana last time out on home turf, Monza accrued 12 points and sat 11th after the opening nine rounds of their second top-flight campaign.
Coach Raffaele Palladino saw his side's long run without conceding a goal finally ended last week, though, as a late Stephan El Shaarawy strike broke their resistance at Stadio Olimpico and Roma edged to a 1-0 win.
Having held out with 10 men for most of the second half, following a red card for Danilo D'Ambrosio, Monza came within minutes of extending their streak of shut-outs to four games - but they still hold one of the best defensive records in Serie A.
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Monza's Raffaele Palladino has fielded the most Italian players of any manager in Serie A this season (15), but will be without two defenders born in the 'Bel Paese' this weekend.
After his dismissal against Roma, Danilo D'Ambrosio must serve a suspension, while Armando Izzo is still sidelined by injury. Therefore, Andrea Carboni should step in alongside Pablo Mari and Luca Caldirola, in front of goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio.
Supporting Lorenzo Colombo up front, Andrea Colpani scored in both games against Udinese last term and is one of only two midfielders to have created at least 17 shots and at least 17 chances after nine rounds of the 2023-24 campaign; Inter's Hakan Calhanoglu being the other.
Though Andrea Sottil has been replaced by Gabriele Cioffi in the dugout, Udinese should continue with their tried-and-tested 3-5-2 formation on Sunday, although there could be some changes in personnel.
Cioffi's options are limited, as Gerard Deulofeu leads a long list of absentees for the Fruilani, which also features forward pair Brenner and Keinan Davis, plus defensive duo Kingsley Ehizibue and Enzo Ebosse.
Slovenia international Sandi Lovric missed the draw with Lecce due to a muscular problem but could still make the trip to Monza, along with Adam Masina, who has returned to full training.
Monza possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; Carboni, Mari, Caldirola; Ciurria, Pessina, Gagliardini, Kyriakopoulos; Colpani, Vignato; Colombo
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Perez, Bijol, Kristensen; Ebosele, Samardzic, Walace, Pereyra, Kamara; Thauvin, Lucca
We say: Monza 1-0 Udinese
Monza are tough to beat - or even score against - at home, while Udinese have proved particularly inept in the final third this season. That is a recipe for the Biancorossi to savour, and they should consign Gabriele Cioffi to defeat on his return to the dugout.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
