Pointless Udinese welcome Parma on Sunday evening, with both sides desperately needing a fresh start in Serie A after the international hiatus.
The home side have lost all three games to date, even failing to register at home to promoted minnows Spezia, while the visitors have fared little better - only picking up their first points at home to Verona last time out.
Match preview
Udinese have not only failed to take a point, they have yet to score a solitary goal, so Luca Gotti will surely consider throwing signings Ignacio Pussetto and Gerard Deulofeu - both from fellow Pozzo-owned club Watford - into the fray at some stage.
Once those two, alongside another Vicarage Road alumnus, Roberto Pereyra, are embedded in the starting XI, the prospects of a season in mid-table comfort seem more attainable for the Friulian side.
However, for now the attacking emphasis will fall upon the Zebrette's misfiring front pair Stefano Okaka and skipper Kevin Lasagna.
Vice-captain Rodrigo De Paul - for so long linked with a switch to Leeds United in the summer - must also step up to the plate sooner rather than later.
Fortunately for the Bianconeri, Parma have conceded at a rate of two goals per game this season, but with the likes of Hernani, Juraj Kucka and Gervinho in harness, the visitors have sufficient attacking talents to cause some damage going forward.
Last season saw Parma do the double over Sunday's opponents. They defeated Udinese 3-1 at the Dacia Arena last September, then 2-0 at the Stadio Ennio Tardini in January.
Those results were befitting of their recent record in this fixture. It was 2014-15 – when the club were humiliatingly relegated and declared bankrupt – that Udinese last defeated Parma in Serie A.
Since their remarkable resurrection soon after, the club have gone from strength to strength. Now they are fully re-established as a Serie A mainstay and one-time Leyton Orient boss Fabio Liverani will be expected to win such games against their fellow middleweight rivals this season.
Given their respective problems with injuries and COVID-19 infections this week, both Udinese and Parma will not be at full strength. Nonetheless, an intriguing match is in prospect.
Udinese Serie A form: LLL
Parma Serie A form: LLW
Team News
Home side Udinese have several senior players absent through injury. Midfield duo Rolando Mandragora and Mato Jajalo, right-back Jens Stryger Larsen, centre-half Bram Nuytinck (quad) and goalkeeper Juan Musso (torn meniscus) will all miss out, while midfielder Walace is doubtful.
Wylan Cyprien, on loan from Nice, is set to make his first appearance for Parma in midfield, alongside the creative forces of Kucka and Jasmin Kurtic.
However, the Gialloblu have registered four positive COVID-19 tests this week, as Roberto Inglese, Juan Brunetta, Jacopo Dezi and Lautaro Valenti sit the game out.
Mattia Sprocati, Maxime Busi, Denmark striker Andreas Cornelius - with a thigh strain - and Valentin Mihala are all injured too.
Udinese possible starting lineup:
Nicolas; Becao, De Maio, Samir; Ter Avest, Pereyra, Arslan, De Paul, Ouwejan; Lasagna, Okaka
Parma possible starting lineup:
Sepe; Laurini, Iacoponi, Alves, Gagliolo; Cyprien, Hernani, Kurtic; Kucka; Karamoh, Gervinho
We say: Udinese 1-1 Parma
With both sides desperate for points and momentum already, it is likely that it will be a close-fought encounter at the Dacia Arena on Sunday.
Injury-hit Udinese must surely get off the mark - in terms of both goals and points - but their visitors, Parma, are capable of finding the net at least once themselves. In the final analysis, a draw could be an acceptable outcome for both sides.
