Torino and Empoli go head to head on Sunday at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, with both teams heading into the weekend off the back of 3-1 defeats to Serie A title contenders last time out.
While the hosts suffered a third straight defeat, losing to Napoli, their visitors almost salvaged a point at home to AC Milan before slipping up in stoppage time.
Suffering their fourth defeat from five games last weekend, Torino became the latest victims of a ruthless Napoli side who have swept all before them this season.
Consequently, Ivan Juric’s side remain within the top half of the standings by just a single point, and their impressive start to the 2022-23 campaign is now slowly starting to unwind.
Pressure will now be on Torino to produce three points on Sunday, against a club they have lost to only four times in 20 previous Serie A meetings. However, as II Toro have scored just seven goals so far, that task may not be an entirely straightforward one.
While they visit Turin with their hosts experiencing a downturn in fortunes, defeat has become commonplace in the Empoli camp since the turn of the year, an one of the several in the second half of last season was a 3-1 home reverse to Torino in May.
Paolo Zanetti has endured a tough start to his time in the dugout at the club he once represented as a player, and Empoli sit 15th in the table following a late implosion against Milan, in which they eventually lost 3-1 on home gorund.
Despite their latest at Stadio Carlo Castellini, Zaneti has led his side to an unbeaten run of three matches away from home, but a tally of just seven goals this season indicates turning draws into wins will remain a challenge for the long term.
Torino vs Empoli head to head
These two teams have previously met on 26 occasions across two competitions, where Torino have claimed seven victories while Empoli have won eight, and they have drawn in 11. They have scored 24 goals each in the process. In their last five meetings, Torino have won two, Empoli one with two draws.
Empoli 1-1 Torino 05/02/17
Torino 3-0 Empoli 26/12/18
Empoli 4-1 Torino 19/05/19
Torino 2-2 Empoli 02/12/21
Empoli 1-3 Torino 01/05/22
Torino latest home form
Torino were beaten 1-0 by Sassuolo in their last home game in the league. However, they have recently been on a good run of form at home, as they have been unbeaten in their previous five games. In their last five matches, they have scored five goals and conceded just one.
Torino 1-0 Apollon 27/07/22
Torino 3-0 Palermo 06/08/22
Torino 0-0 Lazio 20/08/22
Torino 1-0 Lecce 05/09/22
Torino 0-1 Sassuolo 17/09/22
Torino latest away form
Torino have recently failed to keep a good run of form on the road, having lost each of their three most recent matches. They were beaten 3-1 by Napoli in their last away game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored five goals and conceded nine.
Monza 1-2 Torino 13/08/22
Cremonese 1-2 Torino 27/08/22
Atalanta 3-1 Torino 01/09/22
Inter Milan 1-0 Torino 10/09/22
Napoli 3-1 Torino 01/10/22
Empoli latest home form
Empoli have recently failed to keep a good run of form at home, having been winless in their five most recent matches. They were beaten 3-1 by AC Milan in their last home game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored four goals and conceded eight.
Empoli 1-2(E) SPAL 06/08/22
Empoli 0-0 Fiorentina 21/08/22
Empoli 1-1 Verona 31/08/22
Empoli 1-2 Roma 12/09/22
Empoli 1-3 AC Milan 01/10/22
Empoli latest away form
Empoli have recently been on a relatively good run of form on the road, having lost just one of their six most recent matches. They managed to defeat Bologna 1-0 in their last away game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored five goals and scored four.
Trabzonspor 0-1 Empoli 25/07/22
Spezia 1-0 Empoli 14/08/22
Lecce 1-1 Empoli 28/08/22
Salernitana 2-2 Empoli 05/09/22
Bologna 0-1 Empoli 17/09/22
Torino news
Juric will be absent from the touchline due to suspension, but his squad will be boosted by the returns of Mergim Vojvoda and former Empoli loanee Samuele Ricci from injury.
Striker Pietro Pellegri is expected to remain out of action with an adducter problem, so Antonio Sanabria will start up front.
Empoli news
Empoli will take to the pitch without Alberto Grassi, Lorenzo Tonelli, Jean-Daniel Akpa Akpro and Ardian Ismajli, the former of whom suffered a rib injury against AC Milan.
Razvan Marin should therefore step into the midfield, while Mattia Destro will hope to displace either Martin Satriano or Sam Lammers up front.
Prediction and Odds
Goals have been rare on the ground this season for either side, so we expect a closely-fought affair to be on the cards.
However, home advantage should play a big role in swinging the result in favour of Torino, as they pull further clear of their opponents in the league table.
Odds: 1 2.20 X 2.05 2 2.30
Probable outcomes
Torino 1-0 Empoli
Torino 2-0 Empoli
Torino 2-1 Empoli
Torino 0-0 Empoli
Torino 1-1 Empoli