Gattuso’s unbeaten Lazio visit the one ground where Sassuolo have not lost
Lazio have made the best start in the club’s history. Gennaro Gattuso’s side have won seven and drawn one of their eight league games, are level on points with leaders Inter and have won all four away games while conceding once. Sassuolo are 14th and have lost three of their last four, but at the Mapei Stadium they are still unbeaten: they beat Juventus and Torino there and drew with Milan. Both sides played on Saturday, so neither has a rest advantage.
„Bisogna reagire, bisogna capire che il fioretto soltanto non basta.“ („We need to react; finesse alone isn’t enough.“) – Sassuolo coach Alberto Aquilani after the defeat at Como
Predicted lineups: Sassuolo vs Lazio
Sassuolo are still without centre-back Jay Idzes, Daniel Boloca, Ismaël Koné and Fedde Leysen. Armand Laurienté and Sebastiano Esposito are expected back in the attack after Aquilani left them out at Como with this game in mind. The Italian press disagree over the goalkeeper and midfield, so the XI below follows Fantacalcio. Lazio are without Adam Marušić and Nicolò Rovella, and Albert Guðmundsson is out until mid-November. Andrea Pinamonti is in the squad after tracheitis, but Tijjani Noslin is expected to lead the line, and Sky expects Diogo Leite to make his first start at centre-back.
Sassuolo Team News & Preview
Sassuolo are two different teams. At home they have two wins and a draw, 3-2 against Juventus, 2-1 against Torino and 1-1 with Milan. Away from home they have one point from five games, and Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Como was their 11th away league game in a row without a win. Aquilani wants more aggression: „ci vuole anche un po‘ di ignoranza“ („we need a bit of bite“).
Domenico Berardi remains the key attacking player, and Vasilije Adžić is the top scorer with three goals. Darryl Bakola has been the best-rated player in the squad. The defence is the issue: Sassuolo concede two goals per game, and without Idzes the back four looks thinner.
What works for or against Sassuolo
- Unbeaten at home, with wins over Juventus and Torino.
- Laurienté and Esposito return after being rested at Como.
- Two goals conceded per league game.
- Centre-back Idzes is still out.
Lazio Team News & Preview
Lazio’s away record is outstanding: four games, four wins and eight goals to one, including 3-0 at Juventus. Saturday’s 2-1 against Parma was less convincing – Parma had early chances and scored late – and Gattuso admitted recently that his team „don’t yet have the maturity to control a lead“. Lazio are not in Europe, so this is only their second game in a week.
The absences are in midfield and defence. Rovella usually controls the midfield, and Marušić is the regular right-back, so Belahyane and Floriani Mussolini come in. Christos Mandas has the best FotMob rating in the squad, and Mattia Zaccagni and Nuno Tavares have three assists each.
What works for or against Lazio
- Four away wins from four, with one goal conceded.
- Unbeaten in Serie A and level on points with Inter.
- Rovella and Marušić are out and Pinamonti is a doubt.
- Diogo Leite is expected to make his first start in central defence.
Sassuolo vs Lazio Odds
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Sassuolo Form, Stats & Data
Sassuolo’s expected goals are almost balanced, at 1.52 for and 1.55 against, but they concede two goals per game, so they have been punished more often than the chances they allow suggest. They do create chances, with 5.6 shots on target per game, which is more than Lazio manage. That attacking output explains why they are hard to beat at home.
Lazio Form, Stats & Data
Lazio score more than their 1.49 expected goals per game and concede far fewer than their 1.19 expected goals against. Mandas, their best-rated player, is a big part of that. The underlying numbers suggest a very good side rather than a dominant one, which is why I want some protection.
Sassuolo vs Lazio: Prediction & Betting Tip
Lazio are the better side and the best away team in the league so far, with four wins from four and one goal conceded. Sassuolo concede two goals per game and are without Idzes, and Gattuso’s side have kept four clean sheets. I expect Lazio to win, but not easily.
Sassuolo’s home record is the reason for caution. They have beaten Juventus and Torino at the Mapei Stadium, they create more shots on target per game than Lazio, and Lazio are missing Rovella and Marušić with a new centre-back in the side. Lazio’s results are also better than their expected goals. A draw is a real possibility, so I am backing Lazio Draw No Bet at 1.50 with Winz and expect a 1-2 away win.