Two of the top three after Serie A's eighth round convene at the Dacia Arena on Sunday, as surprise package Udinese host resurgent Atalanta BC.
The Bianconeri extended their winning streak to a remarkable sixth game on Monday, a day after La Dea posted their second straight 1-0 victory, leaving the hosts just a point below their visitors in the standings.
Match preview
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Following five straight victories - including eye-catching wins over both Roma and Inter - Udinese returned after the international break with an away fixture against a struggling Hellas Verona side coached by former boss Gabriele Cioffi.
Heading into the final 20 minutes, not all was going to plan for Andrea Sottil's men, but strikes from top scorer Beto and summer signing Jaka Bijol helped the Bianconeri to yet another success - their third from four road trips this season.
Only once in club history have Udinese won more Serie A matches in a row - a run of eight between April and May 2013, under the guidance of Francesco Guidolin - and there is already talk of them being potential qualifiers for Europe when the campaign concludes next June.
Sitting just a point off top spot, the Friulani would reach 22 points with a win on Sunday afternoon, and they have never tallied as many before even the 11th match of any previous top-flight season.
Since his arrival as Cioffi's replacement, former Atalanta defender Sottil has become only the fourth Serie A manager in 30 years to have won six of his first eight matches, earning him September's 'Serie A Coach of the Month' award in the process.
Hopes of maintaining such momentum may be tested fully by his side's latest opponents, though, as they have proved to be almost impenetrable to this point of the season.
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While Atalanta are unbeaten in their last nine league meetings with Udinese - winning seven times - they face a very different Bianconeri this weekend, so will aim to continue their superb defensive record to date.
Following successive wins without conceding a goal, after Ademola Lookman turned home Luis Muriel's low cross to seal victory over Fiorentina last week, La Dea sat second in Serie A, with a mere three goals in the 'against' column.
Separated from first-placed Napoli only by goal difference, Atalanta can now move onto 23 points with victory at the Dacia Arena - a figure they have never reached before the 13th match of any top-flight campaign in their history.
Though his opposite number is just starting out in Udine, Sunday's will be Gian Piero Gasperini's 300th game in charge of the Bergamaschi; throughout Europe's top five leagues, only Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Diego Simeone have managed more for one club since 2016.
The wily tactician has rebuilt his team from the ashes of a dismal finish to last season, and forged a resilient unit that fears no-one - even away from home. In fact, Atalanta have won their four Serie A away games this term with an aggregate score of 6-0.
Team News
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In the interests of continuity, the team that started Monday's win over Verona should continue to line up for Udinese this weekend, though Beto's crucial equaliser took him onto five goals and raised his claims for a start ahead of Isaac Success.
Roberto Pereyra should continue in his new role on the right flank, and not only does the Argentinian midfielder join teammate Gerard Deulofeu among Serie A's top assist-providers so far, but he has also scored in both of his last two encounters with Atalanta.
Only long-term absentee Adam Masina is set to miss out for the hosts, but a growing injury list in their visitors' camp will force Gian Piero Gasperini to improvise once again.
Young defenders Giorgio Scalvini and Caleb Okoli could both feature in La Dea's back three, as captain Rafael Toloi joins Jose Luis Palomino and Berat Djimsiti on the sidelines.
First-choice goalkeeper Juan Musso and star striker Duvan Zapata also miss out, and in the latter's absence, ex-Udinese forward Luis Muriel - who has scored 11 league goals against his former club - could partner Ademola Lookman up front.
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Becao, Bijol, Perez; Pereyra, Lovric, Walace, Makengo, Udogie; Deulofeu, Beto
Atalanta BC possible starting lineup:
Sportiello; Scalvini, Demiral, Okoli; Hateboer, De Roon, Koopmeiners, Maehle; Ederson; Lookman, Muriel
We say: Udinese 1-2 Atalanta BC
With 30 goals coming in the last six Serie A meetings between Udinese and Atalanta, at an average of five per game, an open affair may be expected. However, the visitors are cut from a totally different cloth this term, and even with numerous injuries hampering them, they can take three points home from a closely-contested encounter.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
