Parma welcome Napoli to the Stadio Ennio Tardini in Sunday’s Italian Serie A fixture. With Inter Milan breathing down their neck, Partenopei need a win to stay top and should get the upper hand over the hosts.
Parma head into this clash following a 2-1 league loss at Empoli, their second straight defeat after falling 1-0 at home to Como. Both results mean they are now winless in nine of their last 10 Serie A matches, leaving them just four points above the relegation zone.
It is not all doom and gloom for Parma, who are decent at home and are unbeaten in four of their last five matches in front of their fans. However, they tend to struggle against the top sides, with a 3-1 defeat to Atalanta and a 1-0 loss against Roma among their home results.
Napoli arrive off the back of a 2-2 draw at home to Genoa, a result that means their lead at the top has been cut to just one point. The good news is that they are unbeaten in their last 10 matches, picking up six wins in that run.
Their attacking quality has played a key role in that run as they have scored in nine of those 10 fixtures. Antonio Conte's men are also unbeaten in their last four away matches, winning the last two fixtures in that run.
How the bookies view it: Overwhelming favourites Napoli
Napoli have been backed by the bookies as overwhelming favourites with BoyleSports offering 1/2 for home win. A victory for Parma is priced at 5/1 while a draw is valued at 3/1.
Head to head: Napoli on top
Napoli have an 18-13 advantage with six draws from 37 previous matches against Parma. The Neapolitans have also won the last three meetings, claiming a 2-1 victory in the reverse fixture.
Players to watch: Goal poacher Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku is Napoli’s leading scorer with 13 Serie A goals and will be the one to watch on Sunday. The striker was also on target last weekend and is priced at 6/5 by BoyleSports to find the net once again.
Ange-Yoan Bonny is Parma’s leading scorer in the league with six goals and could be worth keeping an eye on. The forward found the net in the reverse fixture and is priced at 4/1 by BoyleSports to get on the score sheet.
Probable line-ups
Adrian Bernabe, Matteo Cancellieri and Hernando Osorio are all out injured for Parma while Lautaro Valenti is suspended. However, Mateo Pellegrino, Jacob Ondrejka and Bonny are expected to start.
Napoli will be without Stanislav Lobotka, Juan Jesus and Alessandro Buongiorno are unavailable due to several injuries. However, Scott McTominay, Giacomo Raspadori and Lukaku are all expected to keep their places in the line-up.
Parma: Suzuki, Del Prato, Leoni, Balogh, Hainaut, Sohm, Keita, Ondrejka, Valeri, Bonny, Pellegrino
Napoli: Meret, Spinazzola, Olivera, Rrahmani, Di Lorenzo, Mc Tominay, Lobotka, Anguissa, Raspadori, Lukaku, Politano
Anything else catch the eye?
Six of the last eight matches between Parma and Napoli have produced over 2.5 goals and a repeat is expected at 5/6 with BoyleSports. Three of the last five meetings have witnessed both teams scoring and a similar outcome is expected at 10/11.
Four of the last five meetings have produced more second half goals and this clash could follow a similar pattern at evens with BoyleSports. Napoli have earned a win and over 2.5 goals in four of the last seven matches and this outcome is priced at 11/8.
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