Four wins from five make Atalanta BC one of Serie A's hottest sides ahead of Sunday's trip to mid-table Genoa, which sees the teams meet at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
While the Nerazzurri have found some goalscoring form to help them ascend the standings, their hosts last lost a game in December and are seeking a top-half finish.
Match preview
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Making light work of a direct rival for European qualification, Atalanta saw off Lazio's challenge last week, with a 3-1 win inspired by in-form striker Charles De Ketelaere.
The Belgian, who failed to show his best at AC Milan last season, has slowly grown in confidence after making the move to Bergamo, and his brace at the Gewiss Stadium took him onto 12 goal involvements since the start of December - more than any other Serie A player during that period.
Still involved in the Europa League and also into the Coppa Italia semi-finals, Atalanta have won their last three league games and will now aim to post four-in-a-row for the first time since 2021, when they were at the peak of their powers under long-serving coach Gian Piero Gasperini.
By beating Lazio, 'Gasp' became only the fifth coach to win 150 matches with a single club in Serie A, and he returns to his former team this week having also managed the most matches in Genoa's top-flight history.
Ahead of their trip to Marassi, Atalanta may have picked up only two points from their last four away fixtures, but history will be on their side: they have lost just one of their last 14 league meetings with Sunday's hosts.
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In fact, Genoa's most recent Serie A success against La Dea dates back to December 2018, though that may not deter them on this occasion, given how consistent they have been over the past few weeks.
Unbeaten for eight league matches, including last week's goalless draw with Empoli, the Grifone are one of only three teams not to have lost since mid-December: Calcio giants Inter Milan and AC Milan being the others.
Genoa could now record nine successive games without defeat in Serie A for the first time in a decade - the last time the Ligurian club achieved such a feat, Gasperini was still at the helm.
Situated safely in mid-table, 11 points clear of danger, last term's Serie B runners-up look ever more likely to achieve their goal of staying afloat in the top flight come May, and a top-10 finish is not out of the question.
Atalanta will have to be on their toes, as Alberto Gilardino's side certainly know how to make a fast start: they are the third-best team in the first half of games this season; by contrast, only relegation battlers Salernitana and Empoli have fared worse during the second half.
Team News
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Still aiding his country's quest for Africa Cup of Nations glory, Atalanta's leading scorer Ademola Lookman will be absent again on Sunday evening, so Charles De Ketelaere provides the visitors' main goal threat.
After scoring twice against Lazio last week, De Ketelaere is now seeking back-to-back Serie A strikes for the first time since moving to Italy in 2022 - he should join either Aleksei Miranchuk or former Genoa loanee Gianluca Scamacca up front for La Dea.
As Teun Koopmeiners is back in action following injury, Gian Piero Gasperini could field a Dutch duo in central midfield: Marten De Roon may partner his compatriot due to Ederson's suspension.
Meanwhile, Genoa must do without Koni De Winter - who will serve a one-match ban for his late dismissal against Empoli last time out - so Alessandro Vogliacco should be promoted to the hosts' starting lineup.
Junior Messias hopes to be involved after overcoming an adductor problem, but Alberto Gilardino is not likely to make many changes, with Mateo Retegui again being supported by Albert Gudmundsson in attack. The latter has scored the highest percentage of his team's goals in Serie A (38%) and is just one away from hitting double figures in successive league campaigns.
Genoa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Vogliacco, Bani, Vasquez; Sabelli, Frendrup, Badelj, Malinovskyi, Spence; Gudmundsson; Retegui
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Scalvini, Djimsiti, Kolasinac; Holm, De Roon, Koopmeiners, Ruggeri; Pasalic, Miranchuk; De Ketelaere
We say: Genoa 1-1 Atalanta BC
Genoa have made Marassi a tough place to visit since gaining promotion, losing just twice in 11 league games at their Ligurian stronghold this season. Such resilience can bring Atalanta's winning run to an end, as both sides walk away with one point.
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Jonathan O'Shea
