Both seeking their first win since September, Parma and Empoli will meet at Stadio Tardini for Serie A's Sunday lunchtime kickoff.
The hosts can catch their Tuscan counterparts on 10 points with a long-awaited victory, despite a run of six games without success.
Match preview
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Though Parma took the lead at Como last week, in a battle of two clubs automatically promoted from Serie B, Ange-Yoan Bonny's clever back-heel finish was ultimately only enough for a point.
Despite coming close to winning on a couple of occasions, the Emilian club have now produced three draws and three defeats from their last six matches.
Making another Serie A comeback following a three-year absence, Parma made a bright start by drawing with Fiorentina and beating AC Milan, but they have since begun to sink down the standings towards the drop zone.
Fabio Pecchia's young squad has drawn praise for an enterprising approach, prompting the board to make a public show of faith by handing him a new contract this week - now he must manage his side's tendency to let leads slip,
History will certainly be on Pecchia's side this weekend, as Parma seek just a second win since promotion: the Gialloblu have recorded eight wins and only one defeat against Empoli in Serie A, with an aggregate score of 15-3 in their favour.
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The teams' last competitive contest took place back in March 2019, when six goals were shared in an entertaining draw at Stadio Castellani - but the odds of a repeat scoreline on Sunday are surely slim.
So far this season, Empoli's matches have seen the fewest goals throughout Europe's top five leagues: 11 in total, with six goals scored and five conceded.
After surviving relegation by a whisker last term, the Tuscan club brought in ex-Parma boss Roberto D'Aversa, who was in charge of the Gialloblu for that 3-3 draw five years ago, having previously led them to promotion.
Though momentum has been halted by back-to-back defeats against Serie A heavyweights Napoli and Lazio, his start to life as Empoli coach has gone well, with 10 points on the board from eight matches.
Furthermore, the Azzurri have progressed through two rounds of the Coppa Italia and will meet regional rivals Fiorentina in the last 16 at the start of December.
Having also won more than they have lost away from home this season, they may now expect to take three points home from Parma.
Team News
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Parma are without defensive duo Yordan Osorio - who was injured while with Venezuela earlier this month - and long-term absentee Alessandro Circati, but full-back Woyo Coulibaly returns from suspension.
The latter should supplant Antoine Hainaut in the hosts' back four, while Fabio Pecchia must decide whether to make changes in the final third.
Top scorer Ange-Yoan Bonny will be supported by two wide men, with Romania internationals Valentin Mihaila and Dennis Man hoping to return in place of Matteo Cancellieri and Pontus Almqvist, both of whom started in Como.
Man missed out on a place in the starting XI last week but has been involved in the most open-play sequences ending with a shot in Serie A this season: 48 (five resulting in a goal), just ahead of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and teammate Adrian Bernabe.
Meanwhile, Samuele Perisan and Tyronne Ebuehi will join ACL victim Saba Sazonov on the sidelines for Empoli, who are expected to name a very similar lineup to that which lost against Napoli, with Lorenzo Colombo and Sebastiano Esposito paired up front.
Emmanuel Gyasi is set to make his 150th Serie A appearance this weekend - the Ghanaian winger scored his only top-flight brace against Parma back in 2021.
Parma possible starting lineup:
Suzuki; Coulibaly, Del Prato, Balogh, Valeri; Keita, Bernabe; Man, Hernani, Mihaila; Bonny
Empoli possible starting lineup:
Vasquez; Goglichidze, Ismajli, Viti; Gyasi, Grassi, Anjorin, Pezzella; Fazzini; Esposito, Colombo
We say: Parma 1-0 Empoli
Parma have posed a threat in most matches since gaining promotion, but hanging on to leads has proved a problem for the Gialloblu this season.
As goals seem to be drying up for Empoli, it could be time for the hosts to finally get three points over the line while keeping a precious clean sheet.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
