Both embroiled in the battle for Serie A survival, Empoli and Cagliari meet at Stadio Carlo Castellani on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts' recent resurgence has helped them climb away from the bottom three, but their visitors are deeper in danger, despite drawing with the champions last time out.
Match preview
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Continuing his superb streak from the spot, M'Baye Niang coolly converted a penalty for the third successive Serie A match last weekend, when putting Empoli 2-1 up against struggling Sassuolo at the Mapei Stadium.
Though their hosts later equalised, Simone Bastoni's stoppage-time winner sparked joyous scenes on the Tuscan club's bench, and momentum is building behind the quest to preserve their top-flight status.
Unbeaten in six matches - both winning and drawing on three occasions - Empoli have equalled their best such run in Serie A for nearly nine years - with one man taking much of the credit for their revival.
Ever since survival specialist Davide Nicola arrived at Stadio Castellani in mid-January, the Azzurri are one of only three teams to have avoided defeat, along with surprise package Bologna and league leaders Inter Milan.
However, Empoli's home record remains the second-worst in Serie A this season: they have conceded twice as many goals as they have scored, winning only two times from 13 attempts.
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After a 0-0 draw in December's reverse fixture, Cagliari are without a win in five league matches against Empoli, having also lost on six of their last eight visits to the Castellani.
In fact, the Sardinians will be seeking a first Serie A victory over Sunday's visitors since 2017 - and recent results on their travels do not suggest they should expect to do so.
Cagliari are not only enduring the longest streak without an away win in Italy's top flight - some 18 matches - but only Frosinone have earned fewer points on the road this season: Claudio Ranieri's men have posted just four since achieving promotion.
Having drawn their last two games 1-1, the Rossoblu remain inside the relegation zone on goal difference, and they enter this week's fixture five points behind Empoli.
After a stalemate with Udinese ended their four-game run of defeats, Cagliari held Scudetto-holders Napoli to a 1-1 draw last weekend, when livewire winger Zito Luvumbo snatched a point deep into stoppage time; they now target just their fifth league win of the season.
Team News
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Davide Nicola has Emmanuel Gyasi back at his disposal after suspension, and with Tyronne Ebuehi still ruled out by injury, the Ghanaian winger can compete with Matteo Cancellieri for selection on Empoli's right flank.
Up front, M'Baye Niang will hope his run of three goals in as many games proves enough to displace fellow January signing Alberto Cerri, with Atalanta loanee Nicolo Cambiaghi likely to start in support of either striker.
Alberto Grassi and Francesco Caputo both join Ebuehi on the sidelines, while Szymon Zurkowski is still struggling with an ankle problem and may also miss out.
Meanwhile, Cagliari are without injured quintet Ibrahim Sulemana, Marco Mancosu, Pantelis Chatzidiakos, Andrea Petagna and Leonardo Pavoletti, but Roma-owned striker Eldor Shomurodov may be back in the squad after overcoming a foot injury.
In the absence of Petagna and Pavoletti, even more burden will be placed on Angola forward Zito Luvumbo, who is top of the Rossoblu's rankings for goal involvements (seven), shots (35), shots on target (10), touches in the opposition area (97) and successful crosses from open play (21).
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Caprile; Ismajli, Walukiewicz, Luperto; Gyasi, Marin, Maleh, Cacace; Kovalenko, Cambiaghi; Cerri
Cagliari possible starting lineup:
Scuffet; Zappa, Mina, Dossena, Augello; Makoumbou, Deiola; Jankto, Gaetano, Luvumbo; Lapadula
We say: Empoli 2-1 Cagliari
As Empoli are enjoying their best form of the season, they should expect to overcome a fragile Cagliari side that cannot buy a win on the road. The Sardinians have scored only eight Serie A goals away from home this season, while their hosts are now full of confidence in the final third.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
