Lecce will be looking to put some distance between themselves and the relegation zone when they take on Cremonese in Serie A on Sunday.
The visitors, meanwhile, are yet to win in Italy's top flight this season, and could fall to the bottom of the table with a defeat.
Match preview
© Reuters
Lecce, on the other hand, recorded their first victory since gaining promotion last season, with Gabriel Strefezza's late strike securing a 2-1 win away to Salernitana prior to the international break.
Since losing both of their opening two games of the season, Marco Baroni's side have only lost one of their last five, picking up six points in the process to move up to 15th in the table.
Ultimately, surviving relegation is all that will matter when it comes to determining their season as a success or a failure come the end of the campaign, especially having dropped straight back down to Serie B three seasons ago.
Beating fellow newly promoted side Cremonese at Stadio Via del mare on Sunday would take them seven points clear of their forthcoming opponents in the table, and would suggest that they are a significant step above at least one team in the division.
© Reuters
Cremonese seemed to be finally finding their feet at the top level by ending a losing streak of four matches when claiming successive draws against Sassuolo and Atalanta, but their 4-0 defeat at home to Lazio prior to the international break suggests they still have much work to do.
Competing in Serie A for the first time in 26 years, Massimiliano Alvini's side have not enjoyed a great deal of luck so far this season, with their overall performance levels deserving more than two points on the board.
However, there is significant pressure building on the 52-year-old's shoulders to quickly deliver better results, otherwise La Cremo could be cut adrift within the danger zone.
The trip to Lecce on Sunday provides an excellent opportunity to do so, especially having played seven teams inside the top 11 places in the table heading into the weekend's action. It may be too early in the season to brand games as 'must win,' but this could very much be a 'must not lose' situation for Alvini and his players.
Team News
© Reuters
Lecce are likely to be without Lameck Banda, Kastriot Dermaku, Joel Voelkerling Persson and Federico Di Francesco on Sunday due to injury.
Strefezza should replace Di Francesco on the right flank having scored the crucial goal to get his team their first win of the season, while Remi Oudin may displace Banda on the other wing.
Cremonese, meanwhile, will definitely travel without former Tottenham Hotspur defender Vlad Chiriches due to a muscle injury, while Marco Carnesecchi, Maissa Ndiaye and Michele Castagnetti are all doubts.
Scotland international Jack Hendry is likely to replace Chiriches at the heart of the defence, while Santiago Ascacibar may be considered for a spot in midfield.
Lecce possible starting lineup:
Falcone; Gendrey, Pongracic, Baschirotto, Pezzella; Gonzalez, Hjulmand, Askildsen; Strefezza, Ceesay, Oudin
Cremonese possible starting lineup:
Radu; Aiwu, Hendry, Lochoshvili; Semicola, Ascascibar, Meite, Valeri; Zanimacchia; Dessers, Okereke
We say: Lecce 0-0 Cremonese
We can envisage a tight, nervy encounter in Lecce on Sunday, with the visitors determined to avoid defeat after their thrashing at the hands of Lazio last time out.
As such, it would not be a surprise to see a low scoring draw ensue, which would ensure Cremonese do not fall further behind their fellow newly promoted rivals in the table.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
