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

Seeking their third straight win, reigning champions Napoli will return from the international break with Saturday's Serie A trip to Torino.

While the Scudetto holders are level on points with Roma at the top of the table, their hosts have won just once in the league this season.

Match preview

Showcasing their famed spirit under wily coach Antonio Conte, Napoli fought back from a goal down to win their last game before World Cup qualifying intervened, turning no points into three against Genoa.

Still trailing as the hour mark approached at Stadio Maradona, the hosts got back on level terms through Frank Anguissa's close-range header, before Rasmus Hojlund continued his hot streak with a 75th-minute winner.

That success followed the Campanian club's first Champions League win since 2023, having edged out Sporting Lisbon thanks to Hojlund's well-taken brace.

No fan of failure, Conte was relieved to get back in the winning habit after suffering successive defeats: first to Manchester City in England, then against AC Milan at San Siro.

Napoli have not recorded three consecutive away losses since Walter Mazzarri's doomed second spell in charge, nearly two years ago, so another setback will not be tolerated.

As the Azzurri have won eight of their last 10 league games against Torino in Turin - only conceding in one of the last six - history suggests they should return south with maximum points.

Since a goalless draw six years ago, Torino have won just one and lost four of their Serie A meetings with Napoli; so the odds will be stacked against them on Saturday evening - particularly given recent results.

New boss Marco Baroni - who once scored a Scudetto-clinching goal for Napoli - has made a slow start, and his team sit 16th in the Serie A standings with just five points on the board.

The Granata have recorded a single league win so far, while conceding goals at an average of more than two per game - albeit they did reach the Coppa Italia's last 16.

Just before the break, Toro played out an eventful 3-3 draw with another of Baroni's old clubs in Rome, as Che Adams and Saul Coco both scored in the final 20 minutes before Lazio struck back deep into stoppage time.

Though that was the first time Torino had produced three goals in one Serie A match for a whole year, they now hold the worst defensive record in Italy's top flight.

Dating back to last term, they have also failed to score in all of their last four league games on home turf, so the omens are not good for this weekend.

Torino Serie A form:

L D W L L D

Torino form (all competitions):

D W L W L D

Napoli Serie A form:

W W W W L W

Napoli form (all competitions):

W L W L W W

Team News

Napoli pair Stanislav Lobotka and Matteo Politano both suffered muscular injuries against Genoa, forcing them to withdraw from international duty, but the latter could recover in time to feature on Saturday.

Also hoping to be passed fit, ex-Torino defender Alessandro Buongiorno has returned to full training after a layoff, though he may not be ready to start; fellow centre-back Amir Rrahmani is still ruled out.

Billy Gilmour is set to deputise for Lobotka in midfield, while Hojlund leads the champions' attack in the ongoing absence of Romelu Lukaku.

This season, the revived striker has scored four goals in six outings for his club, in addition to four in as many games for Denmark.

While Gilmour's club and international teammate Scott McTominay sits second on the all-time list of top Scottish scorers in Serie A (13 goals), Torino's Adams recently netted his 10th against Lazio.

However, he has appeared as a substitute in all of Toro's league matches so far, with former Napoli striker Giovanni Simeone being preferred to lead the line.

Once again, the hosts will be missing Tino Anjorin and long-term absentee Perr Schuurs due to injury; Zakaria Aboukhlal has also been ruled out, while Ardian Ismajli faces a late fitness test.

Torino possible starting lineup:

Israel; Tameze, Maripan, Coco; Pedersen, Casadei, Asllani, Nkounkou; Ngonge, Vlasic; Simeone

Napoli possible starting lineup:

Meret; Di Lorenzo, Beukema, Jesus, Spinazzola; Gilmour; Neres, Anguissa, De Bruyne, McTominay; Hojlund

We say: Torino 0-1 Napoli

Torino traditionally struggle to score goals against Napoli, and this season's performances have done nothing to suggest they can stun the league leaders.

Instead, Conte's men should make it three wins on the spin across all competitions, teeing them up for a Champions League trip to PSV Eindhoven and next week's Serie A showdown with Inter Milan.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.