Relegation-threatened Livorno are hoping to end a five-match winless run against Udinese, but that is easier said than done. And while the Zebrette did suffer a disappointing defeat to Torino last time out, their past few performances give them reason for optimism ahead of the trip to Stadio Armando Picchi.

No light at the end of the tunnel

While Livorno surprised everyone by gaining promotion to Serie A, club’s difficult financial situation meant that there were no funds available for much needed quality signings. Amaranto were instead forced to stick with what they’ve got, while also making some loan signings of dubious quality. Just like most newly-promoted sides, Livorno played above the expectations in the opening exchanges, winning two of their first three league fixtures, but they have since been showing their true face. Amaranto could only win one of last thirteen Serie A games, slipping into the danger zone in the process, and they are currently on a five-match winless run. To make matters worse, Davide Nicola’s side are not showing any signs of improvement and I honestly don’t see how they are going to survive this season unless they heavily reinforce in January. And while Livorno did hold AC Milan to a 2-2 draw in their last home fixture, that seems to have been just a one-off result as their latest displays give them plenty of reason for concern as they prepare to face hungry Udinese.

Alfred Duncan misses out through suspension, whereas Ruben Botta and Cristiano Piccini are sidelined through injury.

Very important game for Udinese

Following major changes to the playing squad over the summer, nobody was surprised to see Udinese struggle in the opening exchanges, with the Zebrette suffering another early elimination from Europe and playing below par in Serie A. Just as expected, Francesco Guidolin’s side soon started raising their form and they produced three stunning performances against some of Italy’s best sides, albeit deserving more than four points from matches against Fiorentina, Juventus and Napoli. And just when they were tipped to kick-start their campaign with a home win over Torino, Friulani suffered a 2-0 defeat, albeit outplaying their opponents one more time. And while another poor result can be a cause for concern, the most important thing is the team are performing well consistently, and when that is the case results are bound to improve. That is one of the main reasons why I am confident Udinese can get a result from Livorno, especially with veteran striker Antonio Di Natale fully recovered and ready to increase his goal tally.

Important defender Maurizio Domizzi returns from suspension, meaning Luis Muriel and Mattias Ranegie remain the only unavailable players.

Verdict

Week in week out Livorno are proving to be completely unprepared for the Serie A campaign and everything suggests the poor run is going to continue against Udinese. The Zebrette may not have an envious league position, but their performances are constantly improving and I certainly expect them to get something from Stadio Armando Picchi.

Top pick: Udinese Draw no bet   1.73 (8/11) @ Stan james

Alternative pick 1: Half-time Draw   2.00 (1/1) @ bet365

Alternative pick 2: Away win   2.50 (3/2) @ William Hill