Napoli visit Atalanta on Sunday afternoon as the Partenopei go in search of their first victory since their 2-1 success over Inter at the beginning of the month.
Atalanta arrive into this contest looking to exorcise the ghosts of last weekend’s 1-0 defeat to Chievo, which came on the back of successive Serie A victories over Roma and Palermo.
Maurizio Sarri’s side relinquished top spot to the Nerazzurri when they tasted only their second defeat of the campaign against Bologna a fortnight ago. Alarmingly, Inter extended their lead at the summit of the table after Napoli were held by Roma at the San Paolo last weekend.
Victory for the home side on Sunday, meanwhile, would lift them to within touching distance of the Europa League places and, although a win for Napoli would see them remain on the coat tails of Inter, so too would three points prove significant psychologically for Sarri’s side.
Napoli have yet to register three points in Bergamo since Atalanta’s promotion to the top-flight in 2011, while their home form against the Orobic has yielded just a solitary win in that time.
For the hosts, Jasmin Kurtic and Nicolo Cherubin will be sidelined through suspension, while Mauricio Pinilla and Andrea Conti are still nursing various injuries.
Napoli’s injury woes have been minimal this campaign and they travel north with a full strength squad. Dries Mertens and Lorenzo Insigne will undergo late fitness tests while Manolo Gabbiadini is likely to miss out.
Form Guide: Atalanta (L-W-L-W-L) Napoli (W-L-W-D-W)
Expected Starting XIs:
Atalanta: Sportiello; Bellini, Toloi, Paletta, Drame; Grassi, De Roon, Cigarini; Moralez, Denis, Gomez.
Napoli: Reina; Hysaj, Albiol, Koulibaly, Ghoulam; Jorginho, Hamsik, Allan; Callejon, Higuain, Insigne.
Source: forzaitalianfootball.com