28-11-2010 15:00 Udinese - Napoli

Going From Strength To Strength

Udinese are an inspired side this campaign as far from struggling at the lower end in Serie A, the Bianconeri are actually floating in mid-table with relative comfort. Last weekend the Udine-based side may have lost 2-0 to Roma in Rome but that mustn't darken what has been a very good and encouraging season so far.

Prior to last weekend's defeat at the Stadio Olimpico Udinese had gone unbeaten in nine competitive matches and after Week 13 are placed in 11th place with 17 points, six better off than third-from-bottom Brescia and just three behind Italian and European champions Inter, who are sixth.

In midweek Udinese progressed to the fifth round of the Coppa Italia with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Lecce and returned to winning ways after last weekend's defeat. Francesco Guidolin's side have an encouraging record in the league at home as well as they have won three of the six fixtures at the Stadio Friuli.

Maintaining Top Four Position

A combination of several factors has stationed Napoli right in the middle of realising their dreams of finishing in the top four and returning to Champions League football, and the Neapolitans will be looking forward to carrying on the momentum this week too.

Last weekend Napoli bounced back from their comprehensive 2-0 defeat to Lazio in style as they destroyed Bologna 4-1 at San Paolo. Marek Hamsik, who has looked good on intermittent times this campaign but has once again shown bouts of inconsistency, was on target twice to help the Partenopei remain third in the league standings on 24 points, two behind second-placed Lazio and five that of leaders Milan.

The former Italian champions have every reason to believe that they can pull off a victory in Udine on Sunday as they have a remarkable away record, having won four games on the road and have conceded just six times. The defeat to Lazio in Roma was Walter Mazzarri's side first loss away from home, which exhibits just how good they have been in the league.

TEAM NEWS

Udinese

Zapata, Floro Flores, Basta and Ferronetti are out injured for the Bianconeri. Di Natale and Denis will be the two strikers upfront for Udinese.

Napoli

Cannavaro, Aronica, Lucarelli, Blasi, Dumitru, Sosa and Gianello are unavailable for the trip to Udine as they are injured. Hamsik and Cavani will play just behind lone-striker Lavezzi in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

Prediction

Udinese do have the form to pull off an upset against Napoli in Udine but the visitors have the better team. A draw could just be the final outcome.

Udinese 1-1 Napoli

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28-11-2010 15:00 Lazio - Catania

Keeping Milan In Sight

For a club like Lazio, a Scudetto triumph is always going to be a bonus but for the former Italian champions to continue to keep dreaming of a first championship since 2000 they will have to continue to bag points and keep league leaders Milan in sight.

Lazio are currently second in the table with 26 points from 13 matches and are three points off the pace. Last weekend Edy Reja's side were held to a 1-1 draw by relegation-threatened Parma away from home and it followed a morale-boosting 2-0 victory over Napoli in Rome. In the two previous league fixtures, though, the Aquile had suffered defeats and things have to be improve and become more steady.

However, the Biancocelesti have a good record at the Stadio Olimpico and have won four of the league matches there. Winning against Catania at home is not going to be easy especially as the Sicilians have looked good and are picking up points but Lazio will go into this match as favourites.

Mid-Table Security

Catania were considered relegation material at the start of the season but so far the Sicilians have combated that danger well. At the moment the Etnei are in tenth position with 17 points from 12 matches, a healthy six points above the relegation zone.

Last weekend Marco Giampaolo's side defeated rock-bottom Bari 1-0 in front of their own supporters and bounced back from the Sicilian derby defeat to Palermo the week before. Catania, though, have had a pretty good record in recent weeks as they have lost just once in their last six competitive games.

Nevertheless, Catania will have to put in loads of effort against Lazio if they plan to register a win at the Olimpico. The Rossazzurri have not registered a win on the road yet in the league and have lost four of the six matches. Bagging maximum points promises to be extremely tough; even a draw will have to be earned.

TEAM NEWS

Lazio

Meghni, Biava and Quadri are out injured injured. Edy Reja is likely to opt for a 4-2-3-1 formation that will have Zarate as the lone striker with Hernanes, Floccari and Mauri as the three attacking midfielders just behind him.

Catania

Capuano, Pesce, Bellusci, Carboni, Augustyn and Spolli are unavailable for the trip to Rome as they are nursing injuries. Maxi Lopez is suspended.

Prediction

A win for Lazio can be expected but they must take care not to concede an early goal to the Sicilians.

Lazio 2-0 Catania

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28-11-2010 14:30 Newcastle United - Chelsea

Chelsea Need Points To Hold On To Top-Spot

With Manchester United and Arsenal both playing a day before Chelsea, it is likely that the Blues will be off the top for the first time in months by the start of this clash, and they are likely to need a win to regain their position as league leaders; defeat could see them crash to third. Having lost their last two Premier League games, a third would really be seen as a crisis at Stamford Bridge as they have not suffered three straight league defeats for eleven years.

Newcastle have been free scorers at home so far this season with fifteen goals from seven games, however this has only yielded two wins, and manager Chris Hughton will be desperate to improve their record at St. James’ Park. With a win and other results going their way, the Magpies could rise to seventh in the table, cementing their impressive return to the Premier League.

Unstoppable Force Meets Immovable Object

As mentioned, Newcastle have had no problem scoring goals at home this season, and when the two teams met at Stamford Bridge earlier this year in the Carling Cup, the Magpies scored four and eliminated Chelsea from the competition.

However, in their last six Premier League meetings, Newcastle have mustered only one goal, which will temper their optimism somewhat. One of these contrasting records will have to be reinforced, but it’s hard to say which one is more likely with the inconsistent form both teams are showing.

The absence of their regular central defenders may cause the Toon to embellish their unwanted records of conceding the most penalties so far this season (five), and receiving the most yellow cards (31).

TEAM NEWS

Newcastle

Newcastle are paying for some serious ill-discipline as they will be missing both first-choice central defenders - Fabricio Collocini and Mike Williamson - who are both serving three-match suspensions following misdemeanours against Bolton last weekend.

Joey Barton will be continuing his suspension for his assault on Morten Gamst Pedersen two weeks ago. Cheik Tiote, however, is back from his ban and is very likely to come back into the team.

It could well be Sol Campbell and Steven Taylor who come in at the back, both to make their first league starts of the season.

Newcastle’s long-term injuries continue in the form of Dan Gosling, Hatem Ben Arfa, Steve Harper and Ryan Taylor.

Probable starting XI: Krul; Simpson, Campbell, Taylor, Jose Enrique; Routledge, Tiote, Nolan, Gutierrez; Carroll, Ameobi.

Chelsea

Chelsea’s key long-term injuries continue to plague them as well as John Terry, Frank Lampard and Yossi Benayoun remain sidelined.

Yuri Zhirkov has joined them in the treatment room and is very unlikely to play, whilst influential midfielder Michael Essien remains suspended.

Alex is available now for the Blues though, which will give their defence a more recognisable structure.

Probable starting XI: Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Alex, Cole; Ramires, Mikel, Malouda; Kalou, Anelka, Drogba.

Prediction

It is likely to be an exciting game as Newcastle are not afraid to attack teams, especially at home, and against a team who they will see as susceptible and there for the taking following their defeats to Sunderland and Birmingham. 

The Magpies will really take the game to Chelsea, try and over-run them in midfield and expose their defence by battering them with the physicality of Carroll and Ameobi. 

However, whether the Newcastle defence will be able to deal with Drogba, Anelka, Kalou and Malouda, especially on the counter-attack, is quite doubtful.  I see some goals in this game and a fairly even one as well.

Newcastle 2-2 Chelsea

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28-11-2010 12:30 Inter - Parma

Getting Out Of Crisis

Inter plunged into crisis last weekend when they lost 2-1 to Chievo in Verona in Serie A. It was their fifth competitive match without a win and pushed them to nine points behind league leaders and city-rivals Milan.

However, the Italian and European champions returned to winning ways on Wednesday evening as they defeated Twente 1-0 at San Siro to book their place in the first knockout stage of the Champions League. It has helped eased some pressure on coach Rafael Benitez but without the suspended Samuel Eto'o on Sunday the Beneamata will find it tough against Parma.

Inter are currently sixth in the league standings with 20 points from 13 matches and haven't won a league fixture since October. The Nerazzurri have a rather disappointing record at home too as they have emerged victorious in just two of the six league encounters at San Siro. Without Eto'o, Inter could struggle for goals given that they have found the opposition's net just 14 times.

Clawing Out Of Danger

Parma have been struggling unlike last season and are still very much in danger of getting sucked into the relegation zone. The Ducali are 14th in the standings with 15 points and are just four points above the relegation zone.

Last weekend Pasquale Marino's side accomplished an encouraging result as they held Scudetto challengers Lazio to a 1-1 draw at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. It followed two successive 1-0 victories over Sampdoria and Bari that pulled them out of the ugly reaches of the relegation monster.

However, maintaining that momentum isn't going to be easy for Parma as their away record is less than modest given that they have won just once away from home. Even though the Gialloblu will fancy their chances against a crisis-ridden Inter, they will have to keep their feet on the ground.

TEAM NEWS

Inter

Benitez's injury problems continue as Coutinho, Chivu, Mariga, Julio Cesar, Milito, Maicon, Obi, Samuel, Suazo and Mancini are unavailable. To add to the misery Eto'o is suspended and this means that Inter will be without their two best forwards. Pandev will start as the lone striker upfront in a 4-2-3-1 formation that will have Biabiany, Sneijder and Stankovic as the three attacking midfielders.

Parma

Paloschi, Galloppa, Morrone and Marques will miss the trip to Milan as they are injured. In a likely 4-3-1-2 design, Crespo and Bojinov will be the two strikers.

Prediction

Inter defeated Twente in the Champions League in midweek and one suspects that they may have just turned the corner. However, the Benitez's side will have to be careful against a tricky Parma team.

Inter Milan 1-0 Parma

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