Genoa vs Napoli

As hopefuls for a single day ascendency to the top of the games Serie A list as they take on struggling but improving Genoa on Saturday.

The Azzurri will be heading to Stadio Luigi Ferraris after replying to two successive losses with victory over Udinese, while their hosts have managed to edge scarcely away from the threat of relegation since Patrick Vieira came aboard.

Napoli’s great start to the season almost came to a halt after losing consecutive fixtures in the league and cup but after being beaten twice in under a week by Lazio, Conte’s team got back to form.

Losing to Udinese last weekend with ten-man to half time, the equalizer came from Romelu Lukaku’s after the break, followed by own goal and the last nail in the coffin from Frank Anguissa to make it 3-1.

Currently, the Azzurri are in the second place of the table with 35 points in the pocket after 17 games, which score, by the way, for Contes so-called debut season in the team.

As he did with Juventus and Inter Milan earlier in this stage, he is the only coach ever to reach that figure for a third club – and lift the Scudetto with the other two.

There are no continental football or Coppa Italia on the horizon to which Napoli can divert their attentions-though their defensive record over the coming months may well see them crowned league champions.

And not only have they only shipped two goals in the previous seven Serie A away games, but since early September, they have achieved five shutouts away from home: a record equalled only by the five premier leagues.

The last 27 Serie A encounters between the two sides have favoured Napoli, as in the last 14 years, Genoa tasted victory only twice.

The Grifone, who have been revitalized since switching coaches during the November international break, can, however, make it seven straight league games undefeated when they host their Campanian counterparts in Liguria on Saturday.

After managing a tense goalless draw with AC Milan at San Siro, one of many stops during his storied playing career, new manager Patrick Vieira has gone undefeated in his first four games.

Despite being only two points above the drop zone, Genoa's consistency has enabled them move up to 13th position. They have now kept clean sheets in each of their previous three games.

At the club, a new era is beginning, despite the old struggle for existence that lies ahead. The first team will be managed by Vieira, although Dan Sucu, a Romanian billionaire, recently purchased the bulk of the team; he is the owner of Rapid Bucharest in his native country and took over after the previous owners filed for bankruptcy.

After a successful run with few absences, Napoli manager Antonio Conte will have to deal with the loss of two important players this weekend, and maybe until the beginning of next month, as defensive stalwart Alessandro Buongiorno has joined primary creative Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in the treatment room.

The latter should be replaced by Juan Jesus or Rafa Marin, while David Neres fills in for Kvaratskhelia on the left wing. Michael Folorunsho and Pasquale Mazzocchi are both doubtful, although Frank Anguissa is expected to recover from his sickness and carry on playing a crucial midfield role.

Romelu Lukaku's favorite opponent in Italian football is Genoa, whom he has scored seven goals against in six Serie A games so far.

The hosts, meantime, are all too accustomed to having their team reduced by injury: Ruslan Malinovskyi, Jeff Ekhator, Caleb Ekuban, Junior Messias, and Koni De Winter remain out.