Udinese will play host to Torino on Sunday at the Dacia Arena. Udinese has not lost in Serie A after the first game against Milan.
Udinese were defeated by Monza in their midweek Coppa Italia match, but after the first 10 rounds, they were sixth in the standings, about 10 points ahead of their most recent opponents.
In fact, Andrea Sottil’s team held their opponents without scoring, which was a significant accomplishment given the Aquile’s frightening performance against them, and after a hard-fought match in the capital, they are now tied with them on points.
Udinese have drawn both of their most recent league games but are still unbeaten in nine and could now post 10 straight wins for the first time since 2011. This comes after sharing the spoils with Atalanta, another top-six team.
They may rank among the top scorers in the division, but Udinese has also won the most tackles and the highest percentage of tackles won in Serie A this season under Sottil, who was hired in the summer. They undoubtedly punch above their weight.
But the rapidly improving Monza caught the Friulani off guard on Wednesday night, and they suffered their first defeat since August, losing 3-2 at home to the top-flight newcomers and exiting the Coppa Italia.
Sottil will be eager to end his team’s three-game losing streak this weekend after watching them let a 2-1 lead slip in the closing minutes after a brace from the unexpected source of Nehuen Perez had placed them in front.
Torino has played the hosts of Sunday’s Serie A match in Udine ten times, and despite losing on their most recent trip there, they have won four times and drawn twice.
The Granata, who have dropped five of their last seven league games, will enter the game as the underdogs on this occasion due to the contrast in recent performance between the two clubs. In fact, no team has lost more games in Serie A during that time as Ivan Juric watches as a promising campaign continues to fall apart in front of his eyes.
Following last week’s Derby della Mole loss to Juventus, which was decided by Dusan Vlahovic’s goal in the 74th minute, the Croatian coach has seen his team give up six goals in the final 20 minutes of games this year. That equals half of the goals they have allowed so far.
Torino defeated Serie B team Cittadella on Tuesday to snap a five-game losing streak and clinch a spot in the Coppa Italia’s last-16, where they will face Milan at the beginning of next year. Despite this, they have accumulated the same number of points from their first 10 games as they did at this point last season.
Udinese coach Andrea Sottil is planning to select a more recognisable starting lineup on Sunday after rotating his resources in the midweek loss to Monza, but one defensive regular will be absent.
Enzo Ebosse might keep his spot in the home team’s back three since Rodrigo Becao must serve a suspension for amassing too many yellow cards. Jaka Bijol, who was rested on Wednesday, ought to also start.
Beto and Isaac Success have taken turns playing up front for Sottil thus far; each player has made five starts and five substitute appearances.
Gerard Deulofeu has indeed been engaged with the most shot-creating actions of any Serie A player this season, making him a lock for selection when healthy. The Spanish star has also managed to complete the most dribbles among forwards and struck the woodwork the most.
Pietro Pellegri, who scored against Cittadella and was in the starting lineup for Torino’s Coppa Italia match on Tuesday, might keep his spot as the visitors’ center-forward in place of Antonio Sanabria, who was injured and missed the Turin derby.
Nemanja Radonjic, Aleksei Miranchuk, and three-goal leading scorer Nikola Vlasic are the options available to Ivan Juric because his team is healthy and can support the lone forward.
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Perez, Bijol, Ebosse; Pereyra, Lovric, Walace, Makengo, Udogie; Gerard Deulofeu, Beto
Torino possible starting lineup:
Milinkovic-Savic; Djidji, Schuurs, Rodriguez; Aina, Lukic, Ricci, Vojvoda; Radonjic, Vlasic; Pietro Pellegri
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