Preview: Cremonese vs Lecce - prediction, team news, lineups

Following an impressive away win earlier this week, Cremonese will return home to Stadio Zini on Sunday lunchtime, when Lecce pay a visit to Lombardy.

Expected to struggle this season, both sides are performing above expectations in Serie A, currently sitting clear of the drop zone.

Match preview

Abruptly ending Bologna's 12-game unbeaten streak, Cremonese pulled off a shock 3-1 win at Stadio Dall'Ara on Monday evening, having previously suffered three straight defeats.

In top poaching form, evergreen striker Jamie Vardy bagged a brace after Martin Payero had opened the scoring, and the Grigiorossi bravely held on.

So, with a healthy tally of 17 points from 13 games so far, Cremo are enjoying their second-best start to a top-flight season.

After winning the Serie B playoffs last term, the Lombardy club's comeback campaign began with just one loss from nine; and, after going pointless through November, they certainly started December in style.

Now well clear of the relegation zone under experienced head coach Davide Nicola, they are on track to defy most pre-season predictions.

However, only one of their four league wins has come at home in Cremona, where they have also lost two of their last three meetings with Lecce.

Plagued by an awful record at their southern base in Salento, Lecce have earned the fewest home points in Serie A this calendar year - while 11 home games without scoring is the worst tally across Europe's top five leagues.

Indeed, over two spells at the club, head coach Eusebio Di Francesco had failed to post a single top-flight win at Stadio Via del Mare before his team edged over the line last Sunday.

First-half goals from Lassana Coulibaly and Lameck Banda had put the hosts on course to beat Torino, but their visitors pulled one back after the break, before being awarded a last-gasp penalty.

Effectively rescuing two points - and making the fourth Serie A penalty save of his career - Wladimiro Falcone then proved the Salentini's saviour, keeping out Kristjan Asllani's spot kick.

As a result of Di Francesco's first victory at the Via del Mare, Lecce moved up to 14th place in the standings, with 13 points after the same number of matches.

Now, the Giallorossi could win consecutive league games for the first time since May - with the bonus of beating a direct survival rival.

Cremonese Serie A form:

D W L L L W

Lecce Serie A form:

L L W D L W

Team News

Lecce's injury list still features Gaby Jean, Filip Marchwinski and Balthazar Pierret, but Di Francesco otherwise has a full squad to choose from.

Sure to start in the visitors' engine room, ever-present midfielder Ylber Ramadani has covered the most ground in Serie A this season (151.7km).

However, the Giallorossi's attack has been far less impressive: both Nikola Stulic and his teenage understudy Francesco Camarda are both enduring a long goal drought.

By contrast, Cremonese pair Federico Bonazzoli and Vardy have scored four apiece, and the latter will now aim to find the net in back-to-back league matches for the first time this year.

Mikayil Faye is still struggling with a sprained ankle, so he could join Michele Collocolo on the sidelines. Following layoffs, Alessio Zerbin and Faris Moumbagna were back on the bench against Bologna.

Cremonese possible starting lineup:

Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Bianchetti; Barbieri, Payero, Bondo, Vandeputte, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Vardy

Lecce possible starting lineup:

Falcone; Veiga, Gaspar, Gabriel, Gallo; Ramadani, Coulibaly; Morente, Berisha, Banda; Stulic