Genoavs.Parma

The hosts have yet to win a league game on home soil this season, but they still sit just above their Emilian counterparts in Italy's top flight.

Match preview

Thanks to Patrick Vieira's steadying hand, Genoa have recently inched up the table, losing only one of their last nine Serie A matches.

The Grifone were leaking goals and had become too easy to beat before the former Crystal Palace coach was appointed, but they have kept five clean sheets during that nine-game spell.

Since the start of November, no other team has managed more shut-outs - both Milan clubs have recorded five too - and Genoa are now within three points of the top 10.

Last time out, they were denied victory by the goal frame in a 0-0 draw against lowly Lecce, with an incredible miss from Morten Thorsby and Andrea Pinamonti's follow-up shot both hitting the hosts' crossbar.

Amid a packed bottom half, the Ligurian side are still hovering dangerously close to the drop zone, and they remain one of two teams yet to win a single home fixture this season, alongside rock-bottom Monza.

After six draws and four defeats at Marassi, they will attempt to finally end that drought this weekend, when going in search of a third straight Serie A win over Parma.

Having won only one of their first 12 away matches against Genoa in the top flight, Parma have actually prevailed in each of the last three.

They will hope that bodes well for another success on Sunday, as last term's Serie B champions continue a season-long fight for survival.

Last week, the Gialloblu kept just a second clean sheet since winning promotion, holding Torino to a goalless draw in Turin, with Valentin Mihaila coming closest to breaking through when his powerful shot thumped against the post.

After previously beating relegation rivals Monza, Fabio Pecchia's side could now post a three-game unbeaten streak for just the second time this season - and the first since recording four consecutive draws in October.

Before heading to Liguria, Parma have taken a modest eight points from 27 available on their travels, and that rate must surely improve if they are to move clear of the relegation places.

Genoa Serie A form:

W

D

D

L

W

D

Parma Serie A form:

W

L

L

L

W

D

Team News

Genoa are still without Caleb Ekuban, Brooke Norton-Cuffy, Honest Ahanor and Ruslan Malinovskyi due to injury, while Vitinha has suffered a thigh strain and will join them on the sidelines this weekend.

In better news for Patrick Vieira, Uruguayan defender Alan Matturro has recovered from the shoulder problem that kept him out of action for two matches; Junior Messias is also back in full training but may not be involved just yet.

Set to lead the hosts' attack at Stadio Ferraris, Andrea Pinamonti has been directly involved in four goals in five Serie A games against Parma; at the other end, goalkeeper Nicola Leali boasts the league's best save rate this season (76.5%).

Meanwhile, Parma are missing Adrian Bernabe, Alessandro Circati, Gabriel Charpentier, Mateusz Kowalski and Yordan Osorio, but key creator Dennis Man could be passed fit to start.

After the Romania winger sat out last week's trip to Turin with a back injury, he now joins compatriot Valentin Mihaila, Pontus Almqvist, Matteo Cancellieri and Yoan-Ange Bonny in the fight for places up front.

New arrival Mathias Lovik - a Norway Under-21s left-back signed from Molde - should start on the bench.

Genoa possible starting lineup:

Leali; De Winter, Bani, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Badelj, Thorsby; Zanoli, Pinamonti, Miretti

Parma possible starting lineup:

Suzuki; Del Prato, Valenti, Balogh, Valeri; Keita, Sohm; Man, Hernani, Mihaila; Bonny

We say: Genoa 1-0 Parma

Serie A's most improved defence hosts the league's second-worst back line, so Genoa should shut Parma out and secure maximum points.

Written by

Jonathan O'Shea

Previews by email