Sassuolo entertain Udinese in Serie A on Sunday, with the visitors looking to continue their excellent start to the season having taken 10 points from five matches so far.
Sassuolo, meanwhile, head into Sunday's clash having drawn three successive games.
Match preview
© Reuters
Indeed, although they have not lost since the opening-day 3-0 defeat away to Juventus, it has not been an ideal start to the season for the Black and Greens.
Their 0-0 draw away to Cremonese - who had lost their first four games of the season having gained promotion from Serie B - last weekend summed up their frustrations so far, with Alessio Dionisi's side unable to make the breakthrough despite registering seven shots on target compared to their opponents' zero across 90 minutes.
Sassuolo did gain a respectable 0-0 draw against the reigning champions AC Milan in their previous match, but clearly they are not the free-scoring side that they were a few years ago, with the big-money departure of Gianluca Scamacca to West Ham United in the summer hitting them hard in that regard.
However, Dionisi will have faith that his players can register only their second win of the season on Sunday, albeit against a team who have started the season in flying form.
© Reuters
Very few observers could have foreseen Udinese's excellent opening coming, with Andrea Sottil making a strong early impression having taken over during the summer.
The former Ascoli boss helped guide his side to a third successive victory in hugely impressive fashion last weekend, with the White and Blacks thrashing Jose Mourinho's Roma 4-0 at Stadio Friuli.
The hosts got the better of a scrappy encounter, with Destiny Udogie's fifth-minute strike giving them a strong platform to build from for the rest of the game, as they reduced the Europa Conference League winners to only two shots on target across 90 minutes.
While Sottil will be keeping his players' feet on the ground, their belief and confidence could understandably go through the roof if they can make it four wins on the bounce in Sassuolo on Sunday.
- L
- W
- D
- D
- D
- L
- L
- W
- D
- D
- D
- L
- D
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
- D
- W
- W
- W
Team News
© Reuters
Sassuolo lost their talisman Domenico Berardi to a hamstring injury during the draw against Milan, with the Italy international unlikely to return until after the international break.
Armand Lauriente replaced him against Cremonese and should receive another chance on the right flank on Sunday, but Gregoire Defrel, Hamed Traore, Mert Muldur and Emil Konradsen Ceide remain sidelined with injuries of their own.
Udinese, meanwhile, will travel without Adam Masina, Leonardo Buta and Jaka Bijol, with the latter substituted against Roma due to a foot injury. Like Berardi, the trio are not expected to return until after the international break at the earliest.
Enzo Ebosse could replace Bijol in defence, with Nehuen Perez becoming the team's middle centre-back in Sottil's preferred back three system, but no other changes are expected after such an impressive performance and result.
Sassuolo possible starting lineup:
Consigli; Toljan, Erlic, Ferrari, Rogerio; Frattesi, Lopez, Thorstvedt; Lauriente, Pinamonti, Kyriakopoulos
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Becao, Perez, Ebosse; Pereyra, Samardzic, Walace, Arslan, Udogie; Isaac, Delofeu
We say: Sassuolo 1-2 Udinese
We can envisage the visitors' winning streak continuing on Sunday, especially with the hosts lacking firepower without the injured Berardi.
Udinese are playing with renewed confidence under Sottil's management and look capable of scoring plenty of goals.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Brett Curtis
