Facing each other for the first time in Serie A, mid-table Salernitana and rock-bottom Cremonese meet at Stadio Arechi on Saturday afternoon.
While the hosts enjoyed one of their best days since returning to the top flight when beating Lazio last week, their visitors are yet to win a league game following promotion in May.
Match preview
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Despite trailing at the interval, away to Lazio last Sunday, a remarkable comeback from Salernitana will leave the second half etched in the memory of the club's loyal fans.
Within the space of 25 minutes, strikes from former Laziale Antonio Candreva, ex-Roma defender Federico Fazio and top scorer Boulaye Dia gave the Granata victory; stunning a home side that had conceded just five times in their first 11 Serie A fixtures.
Now, successive wins - the first coming against Spezia a fortnight ago - see Salernitana inside the top half of the table, with almost a third of the season completed.
On Saturday, the Campanian club could even equal their best winning streak in Serie A, which was a run of three wins recorded in April, when coach Davide Nicola inspired his side to an unlikely escape from relegation.
They have also taken maximum points from their last two home games and will be in a confident mood before meeting a club they defeated twice in Serie B two seasons ago. Indeed, they are unbeaten in nine league matches against Cremonese at the Arechi.
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Since returning to Serie A for the first time since the 1990s, Cremonese have struggled at the higher level, despite making numerous signings in the summer transfer window.
Following a goalless draw with Udinese last weekend, Massimiliano Alvini's men have now failed to win any of their first 12 league matches; with just a couple of Coppa Italia successes to their name - both against lower-tier opposition.
Having been held at home last time out, the Lombardy side have not found the net in their last two matches, and defeat at home to Sampdoria in the first of those fixtures was particularly galling, as their opponents were also seeking a first win and then overtook them in the standings.
Having scored at less than a goal per game so far, the Grigiorossi must find a way of keeping the back door shut - in addition to the loss of 22 goals, they have faced the most shots on target in Serie A this season (78). They have, however, demonstrated some fight in the process; leading the league in terms of both tackles and interceptions.
Before heading south to Salerno this weekend, Cremonese have drawn each of their last three away games in the league, but will be desperate to turn those single-point hauls into a three-pointer at the Arechi - particularly with reigning champions Milan arriving in Cremona on Tuesday.
Team News
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After sustaining an injury last week, Norbert Gyomber will be missing from the Salernitana defence on Saturday, with Dylan Bronn poised to replace the Slovakian in the hosts' back three.
In better news for Davide Nicola, midfield regular Giulio Maggiore is back in training and could at least make the bench.
Having scored as a substitute to seal victory over Lazio, five-goal top scorer Boulaye Dia should return to the starting lineup, with either Federico Bonazzoli or Krzysztof Piatek dropping out.
Meanwhile, the visitors are without Romanian duo Vlad Chiriches and Ionut Radu, so Atalanta loanee Marco Carnesecchi continues to deputise in goal as a replacement for the latter.
As Cyriel Dessers is also doubt due to injury, Daniel Ciofani will be on standby to replace the Nigeria international alongside David Okereke up front. The latter is the only Cremonese player to have scored more than one away goal in Serie A this season (two).
Salernitana possible starting lineup:
Sepe; Bronn, Daniliuc, Fazio; Mazzocchi, Candreva, Radovanovic, Coulibaly, Bradaric; Dia, Piatek
Cremonese possible starting lineup:
Carnesecchi; Aiwu, Hendry, Lochoshvili; Sernicola, Castagnetti, Meite, Valeri; Pickel; Okereke, Ciofani
We say: Salernitana 2-1 Cremonese
If they are to have a chance of staying up this season, Cremonese must surely target games such as Saturday's, when they meet another club only recently back in the big time. However, Salernitana are far further ahead in their development and have proven they can score against any side, so the Grigiorossi's long search for a win will go on.
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Top tip
Jonathan O'Shea
