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Empoli will invite Udinese to the Stadio Carlo Castellani in Serie A action on Friday.
Both teams have struggled to get going this season, with the hosts in the 19th place in the league table with three points and the visitors in 17th place with four points after seven games.
The hosts failed to build on their 1-0 home win over Salernitana in their midweek clash on Wednesday and suffered a 3-0 away loss to Bologna on Sunday. It was their sixth loss of the season.
The visitors, meanwhile, were able to arrest their losing streak to two games and held Genoa to a 2-2 draw at home on Sunday. Albert Guðmundsson bagged a first-half brace for Genoa but Alan Matturro's own goal in added time helped Udinese equalize.
Their hard-fought draw was marred as midfielder Sandi Lovric was shown a straight red card in the fourth minute of injury.
Empoli vs Udinese Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two teams have locked horns 34 times in all competitions, with all but six meetings taking place in Serie A. The visitors have the upper hand in the head-to-head record, with a 15-8 lead in wins, and 11 games have ended in draws.
- The hosts are winless in their last three meetings against the visitors and suffered a 1-0 home loss last season. They have just one win in their last five meetings against the visitors, with that triumph coming at home in 2021.
- Empoli have the worst attacking and defensive record in Serie A this season, scoring just one goal while conceding 16 times in seven games.
- Udinese have scored just one goal apiece in four of their last five away games against the hosts.
- The visitors have just two wins in 14 away games in Serie A in 2023, with one of them coming against the hosts.
Empoli vs Udinese Prediction
The Azzurri have just one win and scored just one goal in seven league games thus far. Interestingly, the win and the goal came in the home meeting against Salernitana. They have lost four of their last five Serie A home games, scoring just one goal in that period while conceding six times.
They do not have any fresh injury concerns as Bartosz Bereszyński, Daniel Maldini, and Giuseppe Pezzella remain sidelined with their respective ailments.
The Friulani have drawn two of their three away games in Serie A this season. They have failed to score in five of their last eight away games in the league and might struggle here. They have a lengthy absentee list to which Sandi Lovric was added after his red card last time around.
Both teams have been in poor form thus far, with Udinese yet to record a win in seven games. Empoli have just one win and suffered defeats in the remaining six games. With that in mind, a low-scoring draw seems to be on the cards.
Prediction: Empoli 1-1 Udinese
Empoli vs Udinese Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Draw
Tip 2: Goals - Over/Under 2.5 Goals - Under 2.5 goals
Tip 3: At least a goal to be scored in the first half - Yes
Tip 4: Lazar Samardzic to score or assist any time - Yes
