Preview: Como vs Sassuolo - prediction, team news, lineups

Undefeated since August, Serie A high-flyers Como will aim to keep that run going on Friday, when they welcome Sassuolo to Stadio Sinigaglia.

Though the sides clashed in the Coppa Italia earlier this season, with the Lariani coming out on top, they have never previously met in one of Italy's top two divisions.

Match preview

Confirming themselves as contenders for European football, Como climbed to sixth place in the Serie A standings on Monday, after clinically dismantling Torino.

Moving above Juventus - and to within three points of the Champions League places - the Lariani cruised to a comfortable 5-1 victory as Jayden Addai bagged a brace in Turin.

With 21 points from 12 games, Como are taking major strides forward, having only returned to Italy’s top flight last year.

Now unbeaten in 10 league matches, they can equal their longest run in a single Serie A campaign by avoiding defeat on Friday evening - and that record dates back to 1986.

Furthermore, under the impressive management of Cesc Fabregas, the Lombardy club have yet to lose a home game this season, with three wins and three draws so far.

Fabregas's men are also into the last 16 of the Coppa Italia, having eliminated this week's visitors in September.

Though Sassuolo crashed out of the cup on their last visit to Como - losing 3-0 just a few weeks ago - they have accrued a steady stream of league points ever since.

Promoted as Serie B champions last spring, the Neroverdi have returned to the top tier ready to compete, notably beating Atalanta BC 3-0 in Bergamo just before the international break.

Like Como, Fabio Grosso's side were also in action on Monday, but they needed a last-gasp leveller from Kristian Thorstvedt to salvage something from a home game against lowly Pisa.

Ultimately, they were lucky to escape with a 2-2 draw that left them occupying ninth place on 17 points - much closer to the European spots than the drop zone.

The last time Sassuolo were beaten away from home was back in September, when they consecutively lost to Inter Milan in the league and Como in the cup.

Before heading back to Lombardy, Grosso and co have actually won three of their last four on the road, suggesting they can test Como's supremacy at the Singaglia.

Como Serie A form:

W D W D D W

Sassuolo Serie A form:

D L W L W D

Team News

While Assane Diao, Sergi Roberto and Edoardo Goldaniga are still sidelined by injury, Como can call upon the recovered Alberto Dossena this weekend.

Due to yellow-card accumulation, Ivan Smolcic will be suspended, so Stefan Posch or versatile winger Mergim Vojvoda should fill in at right-back.

Influential top scorer Nico Paz - who has 17 Serie A goal involvements this year, after finding the net against Torino - should support either Alvaro Morata or Tasos Douvikas in the final third.

Meanwhile, Sassuolo's attack is led by Andrea Pinamonti and Domenico Berardi, who have both scored four times this term.

Seeking a fresh victim, the latter will face Como for the first time in Serie A, having previously notched against 30 different top-flight clubs.

Grosso has named the same starting XI for the past two matches, but Armand Lauriente and Josh Doig could return to the Neroverdi's left flank; Filippo Romagna, Laurs Skjellerup and Edoardo Pieragnolo are still unavailable.

Como possible starting lineup:

Butez; Posch, Ramon, Carlos, Valle; Perrone, Da Cunha; Addai, Paz, Rodriguez; Morata

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:

Muric; Walukiewicz, Idzes, Muharemovic, Doig; Thorstvedt, Matic, Kone; Berardi, Pinamonti, Lauriente