Five wins from six in Serie A has seen Lazio rise through the ranks and into the top three, and they aim to keep such form going on Sunday, when Salernitana arrive at Stadio Olimpico.
With a midweek success, too, the Biancocelesti are close to sealing a place in the Europa League knockout stages, while their visitors occupy a mid-table slot in the standings after last week's win over Spezia.
Match preview
© Reuters
Since being held to a home draw by Udinese a fortnight ago, Lazio have quickly recommenced their stunning form of the previous month: over the past few days, Maurizio Sarri's men have ended Atalanta's unbeaten record and earned a crucial victory in Europe.
Goals from Mattia Zaccagni and Felipe Anderson early in either half helped Lazio make light of Ciro Immobile's absence through injury in Bergamo, and they leapfrogged La Dea into third place as a result.
The Roman side have now won five of their last six league matches without conceding a single goal; indeed, after the events of Thursday night at Stadio Olimpico, they are unbeaten in eight games across all competitions - scoring 18 times in the process.
Once undermined by defensive frailties under both Sarri and predecessor Simone Inzaghi, Lazio now boast the best ongoing streak of shut-outs across the top five European leagues. Furthermore, they are only one game away from equalling the club's record of seven in a row - posted back in the glory days of 1998, under Sven-Goran Eriksson.
During that time, the Biancocelesti have faced just 12 shots on target, and such resilience has helped them match the club's second-best start to a Serie A season after 11 games.
Sarri-ball (or 'Sarrisimo') has clearly made its mark, as since May, only Napoli have lost fewer games: nine wins, five draws and a single defeat in their last 15 league outings suggests a Scudetto challenge cannot be ruled out.
Matters are a little more complicated in Europe, though, as Lazio face a final-day decider with Feyenoord in Rotterdam next week, after goals from Pedro and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic brought a 2-1 win over Midtjylland on Thursday - and with it, a small slice of revenge for being thumped 5-1 in Denmark.
Level with Feyenoord on eight points - three clear of the two other clubs in Group F - second place would mean a tie against one of the teams dropping down from the Champions League, while finishing third results in a Europa Conference League playoff.
© Reuters
Form is clearly on their hosts' side this weekend, but precedent is also against Salernitana on Sunday. The Campanian club have lost each of their three previous away games against Lazio in Serie A; conceding at least three goals on each occasion.
In fact, the most recent meeting between the two teams in Rome resulted in a 3-0 defeat, in which goals from Ciro Immobile, Pedro and Luis Alberto put the struggling visitors to the sword at the start of this year.
Now, a Salernitana side featuring former Lazio winger Antonio Candreva arrives in the capital on the back of two wins from their last three matches - either one sandwiching defeat away to Inter.
Backing up victory over Verona at their Salerno stronghold, the Granata edged out Spezia last Saturday, as in-form wing-back Pasquale Mazzocchi scored the winner just after the interval, on the day Franck Ribery bade an emotional farewell upon his retirement from football.
However, only three of Salernitana's 13 points this season have been picked up away from home, and they have lost their last two on the road without scoring: Davide Nicola's side will hope to improve such a record as they aim for mid-table security this term, but doing so on Sunday represents a tough task.
Team News
© Reuters
After his strike in midweek, nobody except Kevin De Bruyne has been involved in more goals this season than Sergej Milinkovic-Savic throughout Europe's top five leagues, as the Lazio midfielder has scored five himself and laid on seven assists across all competitions.
His input has helped compensate for the loss of captain and top goalscorer Ciro Immobile, who may be out until Serie A stops for the World Cup due to a hamstring injury.
In the latter's absence, Mattia Zaccagni, Felipe Anderson and Pedro - who has registered two goals and two assists in just 352 minutes of play during an injury-hit campaign - should form the hosts' attacking triumvirate.
Ahead of a huge week for the Biancocelesti, in which they meet Feyenoord and contest the Derby della Capitale, their only other injury doubt is Brazilian defender Patric, so Nicolo Casale could come into the back four. Manuel Lazzari returns following a Europa League suspension.
Though Salernitana will be without midfield regular Giulio Maggiore again on Sunday, Davide Nicola has reported no further injuries this week.
While ex-Laziale Antonio Candreva starts on the right flank of Nicola's 3-5-2 formation, Pasquale Mazzocchi lines up on the left; only Napoli skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo has created more chances from open play among Serie A defenders this season.
Up front, meanwhile, Boulaye Dia should be joined by either Federico Bonazzoli or Krzysztof Piatek.
Lazio possible starting lineup:
Provedel; Lazzari, Casale, Romagnoli, Marusic; Milinkovic-Savic, Cataldi, Vecino; Pedro, Anderson, Zaccagni
Salernitana possible starting lineup:
Sepe; Gyomber, Daniliuc, Fazio; Candreva, Coulibaly, Radovanovic, Vilhena, Mazzocchi; Dia, Piatek
We say: Lazio 2-0 Salernitana
As Salernitana have scored just three times away from home so far, their trip to the capital is surely doomed to end in failure. Lazio are watertight at the back and can be clinical up front, so even allowing for a drop in levels ahead of next week's events they should get the job done.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
