Empoli seek a third consecutive Serie A victory at Stadio Carlo Castellani when they welcome Frosinone in gameweek 35 action on Sunday.
Davide Nicola's men may have fired blanks for the fourth away league game running but have typically relied on their form on home turf, which will be tested in this weekend's relegation six-pointer.
Match preview
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Empoli are two points clear of the relegation zone heading into Sunday's fixture at the Castellani, keen to create some separation from third-bottom Udinese with four games remaining.
Success takes Nicola's men above this weekend's visitors and possibly Hellas Verona and 14th-placed Cagliari. Only a point separate those four teams, and Udinese are two shy of the Azzurri before this gameweek commences, underscoring the compactness in the relegation battle.
Victory on Sunday will be Empoli's third on the trot at home to follow league triumphs over Torino (3-2) and Napoli (1-0), potentially seeing the club claim three home victories on the spin since the backend of last season, when the Blues won three of their final four fixtures at the Castellani.
They hope to capitalise on the visitors' lack of away victories in 2023-24 but must end Frosinone's ongoing undefeated sequence in the top flight to secure maximum points.
With Nicola's remit after his appointment to avoid relegation, success against another struggling rival will be what the doctor ordered.
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Frosinone supplanted Empoli after last weekend's victory over relegated Salernitana, with the 3-0 triumph putting them above the Azzurri despite being level on 31 points.
The Canaries' 2-1 win in the reverse fixture means avoiding defeat on Sunday gives them the head-to-head edge, and Eusebio Di Francesco's men undoubtedly hope to claim at least a point in Florence.
The club's inability to secure maximum points on their travels — six draws and 11 defeats — has undermined their survival battle.
However, three consecutive road draws — 1-1 at Genoa, 2-2 against Napoli and a goalless game with Torino — have bettered the previous sequence of one point in 12 away fixtures.
Leaving it so late in the campaign to nick three road points will excite travelling supporters, who hope to avoid immediate relegation to Serie B after last term's positive ending.
Against an Empoli side with the fewest home goals of any top-flight club (13), the Canaries hope to end that wait for an away win since beating Fiorentina (1-0) in April 2019.
Team News
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Alberto Cerri (muscle), Tyronne Ebuehi (knee), Sebastian Walukiewicz (thigh) and Ardian Ismajli (hamstring) are not expected to play on Sunday due to injury issues.
M'Baye Niang should make his 300th appearance for a club in Europe's big-five leagues this weekend, and the Senegalese's goal ratio of scoring every 137 minutes for Empoli is his best among the 10 clubs he has represented.
Elia Caprile should be busy again in the Azzurri goal, with the goalkeeper trusted to add to his 57 saves (the most in Serie A) this weekend.
Stefano Turati was forced off against Salernitana last weekend, pointing to a start for Michele Cerofolini between the sticks. Pol Lirola is doubtful, while Abdou Harroui (thigh), Sergio Kalaj (ligament), Anthony Oyono (ankle) and Mateus Lusuardi (unknown) are all ruled out.
Nadir Zortea has been involved in six goals since moving to Frosinone on loan from Atalanta BC, scoring for the first time last week, and the wide defender seeks to add to his six direct involvements for the Canaries.
Only Jude Bellingham (17 goals) has outscored Matias Soule (11) among players born from 2003 onwards in Europe's big five leagues, and the youngster aims to come up trumps at the Castellani.
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Caprile; Bereszynski, Cacace, Luperto; Gyasi, Grassi, Fazzini, Pezzella; Zurkowski, Cambiaghi; Niang
Frosinone possible starting lineup:
Cerofolini; Okoli, Romagnoli, Bonifazi; Zortea, Barrenechea, Mazzitelli, Valeri; Brescianini; Soule, Cheddira
We say: Empoli 1-1 Frosinone
Frosinone are chasing their longest unbeaten run in Serie A, and they could achieve that against an Empoli side that have lost three of their recent five meetings with the Canaries, including the reverse fixture.
Nevertheless, Empoli's current undefeated run at the Castellani should continue on Sunday, even if maximum points may not be secured.
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