Back at the summit of Serie A, resurgent Juventus aim to move further clear on Saturday evening, when they welcome Empoli to Turin.
While free-scoring Juve have just netted 18 goals in five matches - in their best start to a year since 1932 - their opponents have the league's least potent attack.
Match preview
© Reuters
With their main title rivals away in Saudi Arabia, Juventus seized the chance to go top of Serie A last Sunday, when they met Lecce down at Stadio Via del Mare.
Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic followed up his brilliant brace against Sassuolo - both of which were scored from outside the box - by netting two more in Salento, as Juve ultimately ran out 3-0 winners following a tightly-contested first half.
Seven wins on the spin have put the Bianconeri into the Coppa Italia semi-finals and confirmed them as Inter Milan's chief challengers for the Scudetto, and a potentially decisive Derby d'Italia between the old foes will take place at San Siro next week.
Unbeaten in their last 16 league matches, this is only the 10th top-flight season in which Juventus have exceeded 50 points after 21 games, and they went on to finish first on every previous occasion.
With another success on Saturday, Max Allegri would not only see his side move four points clear of Inter - albeit having played twice more - but will also become the first coach ever to reach the milestone of 1000 points in Serie A.
Indeed, the Tuscan tactician has just surpassed last year's Scudetto-winning coach, Luciano Spalletti (996), which could bode well for Juve's chances this year.
© Reuters
In addition to a 2-0 home defeat in September's reverse fixture, Empoli have lost 12 of their 14 away games against Juventus in Serie A, being beaten 4-0 on their most recent trip to the Allianz Stadium.
Despite a fine debut for new coach Davide Nicola last Sunday, both history and current league standing will count against the Tuscan team this weekend, when they hope to defy the odds and post just a third away victory of the season.
Empoli have accrued a mere 16 points so far - the club's joint-worst tally at this stage of a top-flight campaign - and sit second-bottom of the standings, with only Salernitana below them.
Former boss Aurelio Andreazzoli was dismissed earlier this month, following a loss at Hellas Verona that left his side five points adrift of safety and averaging well under one goal per game.
Dreams of a great escape were bolstered, though, when Nicola led the Azzurri to a shock 3-0 win over mid-table Monza last time out, with recent arrival Szymon Zurkowski hitting a hat-trick on his first start since returning to Stadio Castellani on loan.
Team News
© Reuters
New recruit Tiago Djalo, who confirmed his switch from Ligue 1 club Lille earlier this week, is not expected to start for Juventus on Saturday evening, when Max Allegri should name a settled side.
Federico Chiesa is still hampered by a muscular problem, while fellow forward Moise Kean will not be involved as he nears a loan move to Atletico Madrid.
Adrien Rabiot is set to miss out again, so Fabio Miretti could continue in the hosts' engine room, while the potent partnership of Kenan Yildiz and Dusan Vlahovic may be retained up front.
Vlahovic (five) and Empoli's Szymon Zurkowski (four) are Serie A's top scorers for 2024, and the latter will be one of the first names on Davide Nicola's teamsheet in Turin.
Veteran strikers Francesco Caputo (ankle) and Mattia Destro (muscular) are both ruled out of the visitors' squad by injury, with defensive trio Giuseppe Pezzella (ankle), Simone Bastoni (thigh) and Tyronne Ebuehi (also thigh) all sidelined too.
Lazio loanee Matteo Cancellieri returns from suspension, though, while ever-present centre-back Sebastiano Luperto will aim to top up his tally of blocks recorded this season (22) - no player has made more throughout Serie A.
Juventus possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; Gatti, Bremer, Danilo; Cambiaso, McKennie, Locatelli, Miretti, Kostic; Yildiz, Vlahovic
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Caprile; Ismajli, Walukiewicz, Luperto; Bereszynski, Zurkowski, Grassi, Fazzini, Cacace; Shpendi, Cambiaghi
We say: Juventus 2-0 Empoli
There is little to suggest that Juventus cannot continue their ruthless run through January, and another win is surely on the cards against Empoli. The Azzurri may have stirred into life under new management, but they are still no match for Juve's in-form front line.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
