Monza will be aiming to move further away from the relegation zone when they host Salernitana in Serie A on Sunday.

The visitors, meanwhile, could head into the break for the World Cup in the top half of the table if they can gain a victory.

Match preview

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With a six-point gap ahead of the relegation zone heading into the weekend's action, Monza's first ever season competing in Serie A is going at a satisfactory rate at present.

Their fortunes have undoubtedly improved since appointing Raffaele Palladino as head coach in September, although their 1-0 defeat away to Lazio on Thursday was their fourth loss in five league games.

Luka Romero's 69th-minute strike proved to be the difference between the sides on the day, but there was certainly no disgrace in falling to a narrow loss to a team that moved up to second in the table after their win.

Palladino will be hoping his side can return to winning ways against a team they would consider much closer to their level in the shape of Salernitana on Sunday, with a victory ensuring that their healthy lead ahead of the bottom three positions would be maintained at the very least.

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Salernitana, of course, know all about staving off relegation having picked up 18 points from their last 15 matches to pull off a great escape in the last campaign.

Davide Nicola was in charge for the majority of that run after being appointed as head coach in February, although more is expected of his side this time around having been significantly backed in the transfer market during the summer.

With I Granata picking up 17 points from 14 matches to sit in 11th position prior to a ball being kicked this weekend, Nicola would probably consider his work acceptable, although Salernitana would have been hugely disappointed to see Fiorentina leapfrog them into the top half by beating them 2-1 on Wednesday.

Luka Jovic scored the winner in the 81st minute after Boulaye Dia had cancelled out Giacomo Bonaventura's early effort, so Nicola will be determined to ensure his team do not fall to a second successive defeat.

Team News

Monza will remain without Pablo Mari after the former Arsenal defender was stabbed in a shopping centre near Milan last month, while Stefano Sensi and Andrea Ranocchia are injury doubts.

Nicolo Rovella could return to the starting XI after only being used from the substitutes' bench during his side's defeat in Rome on Wednesday.

Salernitana, meanwhile, will travel without Norbert Gyomber and Franck Ribery due to hamstring and knee injuries.

Dia may return to the attack after scoring from the bench in Florence on Wednesday, while Giulio Maggiore will also be hoping for a recall to the midfield.

Monza possible starting lineup:
Di Gregorio; Donati, Caldirola, Izzo; Ciurria, Rovella, Ranocchia, Augusto; Pessina, Pepin; Petagna

Salernitana possible starting lineup:
Sepe; Bronn, Daniliuc, Pirola; Mazzocchi, Maggiore, Bohinen, Coulibaly; Vilhena; Dia, Piatek

We say: Monza 1-2 Salernitana

Salernitana will be angry after falling to a late defeat against Fiorentina in midweek, and we can envisage them bouncing back with a win on Sunday.

Monza are at least one year behind their forthcoming opponents in terms of their development, and that may be more obvious than expected at the weekend.

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