Preview: Genoa vs Napoli - prediction, team news, lineups

Now long-shot outsiders to retain the Scudetto, Napoli will try to keep the pressure on Serie A's top two by beating Genoa on Saturday evening.

Despite steadying the ship with a win last weekend, the reigning champions still trail both Milan clubs; meanwhile, their hosts have recently climbed closer to safety.

Match preview

After damaging back-to-back defeats, Napoli began to pick up the pieces of their season when they welcomed Fiorentina to Stadio Maradona last Sunday.

Losing 3-0 to Juventus had critically damaged their defence of the Serie A title, and Antonio Conte's side slipped out of Europe when a year-long unbeaten streak at the Maradona was ended by Chelsea three days later.

They produced a spirited response, though, as local lad Antonio Vergara scored for the second game running, and Miguel Gutierrez expertly curled home another goal shortly after half time.

A 2-1 home win ultimately kept the Partenopei in third spot - and they can move within one point of second-placed AC Milan with another victory on Saturday - but Juventus, Roma and Como are all lurking close behind.

So, rather than challenging Inter Milan for the title, Napoli are now glancing over their shoulders in a tight race for Champions League qualification.

Aside from a ruinous injury list, Conte's chief concern will be his team's dismal form on the road: across all competitions, they have lost half of their 16 away games.

Yet, before setting off for Liguria, Napoli have been beaten just once in their last 25 league meetings with Genoa - including a 2-1 win in Naples earlier this season.

Furthermore, Genoa have claimed just four points from the last seven contests at Stadio Ferraris, ahead of a first managerial meeting between Conte and Rossoblu boss Daniele De Rossi.

Both were renowned for a combative approach during their playing days, and De Rossi has clearly instilled a fighting spirit in his squad since arriving earlier this term.

With one loss from six games this calendar year, the Grifone have gradually climbed away from acute danger, having been drifting towards the drop before their current coach was appointed.

Genoa now sit six points above the relegation zone, despite losing 3-2 to Lazio last week, when a last-gasp penalty cruelly denied them a draw at Stadio Olimpico.

Still, De Rossi was delighted his team had recovered from two goals down for the second successive weekend, following their dramatic 3-2 victory over Bologna.

Including that result, the resurgent Rossoblu have scored six times in the process of winning their last two home fixtures, after posting just one win from the first 10.

Genoa Serie A form:

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Napoli Serie A form:

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Napoli form (all competitions):

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Team News

Napoli's injury crisis continues: long-term absentees Kevin De Bruyne, Frank Anguissa and Billy Gilmour have been joined on the sidelines by captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo, who suffered a serious knee sprain last week.

Wingers Matteo Politano and David Neres are also ruled out; Vanja Milinkovic-Savic is closer to returning, albeit Alex Meret made some fine saves against Fiorentina and should start anyway.

In attack, Rasmus Hojlund - who was on target in October's reverse fixture - has recently gone seven Serie A games without scoring, but Romelu Lukaku is still short of fitness after a long layoff.

Meanwhile, Genoa's treatment room is far less busy, as only back-up goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist and new signing Tommaso Baldanzi are currently unavailable.

Sharp-shooting midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi has scored in his last two league appearances, taking him onto four goals for the season, alongside ex-Napoli centre-back Leo Ostigard.

Once again, top scorer Lorenzo Colombo should join forces with Vitinha up front.

Genoa possible starting lineup:

Bijlow; Marcandalli, Ostigard, Vasquez; Norton-Cuffy, Frendrup, Malinovskyi, Ellertsson, Martin; Vitinha, Colombo

Napoli possible starting lineup:

Meret; Rrahmani, Jesus, Buongiorno; Gutierrez, Lobotka, McTominay, Spinazzola; Vergara, Elmas; Hojlund

We say: Genoa 2-2 Napoli

Before conceding a 100th-minute penalty last week, Genoa were within a whisker of going six games without defeat, so they will surely pose some threat to a threadbare Napoli squad.

With goals starting to flow, the Rossoblu are also picking up more points on home turf, and they could now take one more off the reigning Serie A champions.

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