With just two points and no goals between them so far in Serie A, Salernitana and Sampdoria will both seek their first win on Sunday, as they meet at Stadio Arechi.
While the hosts failed to make the most of a one-man advantage last week, and had to settle for a draw, Samp held firm against Juventus to pick up their first point of the 2022-23 campaign.
Match preview
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Having been narrowly beaten Roma on the opening day, Salernitana's first road trip since surviving relegation took them to Udine, where they were held to a disappointing goalless draw.
After Udinese's Nehuen Perez was dismissed in first-half stoppage time, the Granata would have expected to push on towards a valuable away win after the interval, but they could not find a way to break through.
Nonetheless, Davide Nicola's side extended their unbeaten record on the road to five games - Salernitana's best-ever streak in Serie A - and put their first point on the board.
Following a flurry of goals late last season, which enabled them to make a great escape from demotion back to Serie B, the Campanian club have failed to score in their first two fixtures this term, and they have not found the net in any of their last three home games all told - including a 2-0 Coppa Italia exit to Parma earlier this month.
With Milan Djuric departed and those left behind still far from convincing, Salernitana will surely struggle again if they fail to find a potent partnership to spearhead Nicola's favoured 3-5-2, and a battle for survival awaits unless they make home advantage pay against sides such as Sampdoria.
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Though they ultimately finished five points and two places above Sunday's hosts last season, Sampdoria endured a gruelling scramble for safety throughout a grim campaign at Marassi.
Samp have lost the most Serie A games of any club in 2022, and despite playing their first two matches of the new season at home in Genoa, have failed to score so far.
In a gritty display against Juventus last time out, Marco Giampaolo's men threatened to break through on a handful of occasions, but were nonetheless content with a 0-0 draw. Should they fail to find the net this weekend, though, it would be the first time the club have failed to register a single goal from their opening three fixtures in the top flight.
The last time the Blucerchiati won their opening game on the road was in 2017, when Giampaolo was last in charge during a relatively successful spell, but circumstances since his return mean the former Milan coach's sights will be set lower in the coming months.
Amid several sales - and few summer signings to renew an ailing squad - victory in the first round of the Coppa Italia kicked off their campaign with a welcome win, but then taking one point against two top-six contenders piles pressure on Samp to make a successful trip south to Salerno.
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Team News
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Davide Nicola has several players either ruled out or facing a fight for fitness on Sunday, as Giorgios Kastanos - who was among those forced miss last week's game - is struggling to return in time; potentially joining Matteo Lovato, Emil Bohinen, Ivan Radovanovic and Franck Ribery on the sidelines.
In the absence of Kastanos, summer signing Tonny Vilhena is likely to start once again - featuring in the hosts' midfield trio.
On the right flank will be former Sampdoria winger Antonio Candreva, who played 71 times for the Blucerchiati (recording 12 goals and 18 assists) before switching to Salerno earlier this month; despite drawing a blank so far this season, ex-Samp striker Federico Bonazzoli should start up front.
Meanwhile, the visitors have an almost clean bill of health heading into their first away game - though Andrea Conti is still struggling with an injury and Tomas Rincon picked up a knock earlier this week.
Gonzalo Villar would replace the latter in midfield if required, but Marco Giampaolo is set to keep a settled side following his team's dogged display against Juventus.
Up front, Francesco Caputo will aim to get off the mark for the season, while - set to make another cameo from the bench - veteran striker Fabio Quagliarella hopes to score against his 37th different side in Serie A; only Alberto Gilardino (39), Roberto Baggio (38) and Francesco Totti (38) have managed more.
Salernitana possible starting lineup:
Sepe; Bronn, Gyomber, Fazio; Candreva, Coulibaly, Maggiore, Vilhena, Mazzocchi; Dia, Bonazzoli
Sampdoria possible starting lineup:
Audero; Bereszynski, Ferrari, Colley, Augello; Vieira; Leris, Villar, Djuricic, Sabiri; Caputo
We say: Salernitana 1-1 Sampdoria
Given neither side has proved prolific in the opening weeks, a low-scoring draw could be on the cards: in 2022, no team has drawn more matches than Salernitana's nine in Serie A, and they may find that tally grows to double figures on Sunday.
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Jonathan O'Shea
