Preview:Udinese vs. Crotone - prediction, team news, lineups

With a spot in the next round of the Coppa Italia at stake, Udinese and Crotone face off at the Dacia Arena on Tuesday.

Both sides come into the game on a poor run of form with the hosts winless in their last six outings, while the away side have lost eight of their most recent nine games.

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Match preview

Udinese were denied all three points right at the death in their meeting with AC Milan on Saturday which ended 1-1.

Cioffi Gabriele's men took the lead in the 17th minute through Beto but had to settle for a point after conceding a late equaliser to Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Le Zebrette are 15th on the log having picked up 17 points from as many games this term in what has largely been a season full of inconsistencies.

Their next task comes against an opposing side who they have beaten in three of the previous six encounters, the most recent of which was a 2-1 triumph back in April.

Crotone suffered a fifth defeat on the bounce as they were beaten 3-2 by Cremonese at the Stadio Giovanni Zini on Friday.

Marino Pasquale's men took the lead in the fourth minute through Mirko Maric before goals from Nicolo Fagioli, Luca Strizzolo and Luca Zanimacchia turned the game on its head.

The Sharks are currently in the drop zone, a whopping 12 points adrift of safety and in need of an upturn in results.

Currently averaging less than a goal per game this term, Tuesday's hosts will need to get going at the attacking end if they are to turn their season around.

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Team News

Forward Isaac Success is suspended for the home side after he was shown a straight red card against AC Milan.

Twenty-seven-year-old Samir is in line to be recalled into the starting XI having served his one-game ban in the aforementioned game.

With his side struggling in the league, Pasquale might contemplate ringing the changes in a bid to keep several of his first-team regulars fresh.

The likes of Musa Juwara and Alessandro Maesano have hardly got a look-in so far but could be handed rare starts on Tuesday.

Udinese possible starting lineup:

Silvestri; Becao, Perez, Nuytinck; Udogie, Arslan, Walace, Makengo, Molina; Beto, Deulofeu

Crotone possible starting lineup:

Festa; Paz, Canestrelli, Nedelcearu; Sala, Vulic, Estevez, Molina; Zanellato, Benali, Maric

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We say: Udinese 2-0 Crotone

Crotone are on a wretched run of results and cannot buy a win at the moment, and while Udinese have also had struggles of their own, we fancy the home team to come out on top at the end of the 90 minutes.