Napoli can extend their lead at the top of Serie A to an astonishing 18 points by beating Sassuolo on Friday evening.

The hosts, meanwhile, head into the encounter seven points clear of the relegation zone after putting together an unbeaten run of four matches.

Match preview

Indeed, after enduring a run of eight defeats in 10 league matches, Sassuolo have recovered in recent weeks to somewhat allay any fears of returning to Italy's second tier for the first time in a decade.

Widely regarded as one of the strongest examples of a club punching above their weight since being promoted from Serie B for the first time in the club's history in 2013, I Neroverdi have not come close to being relegated since finishing 17th in their maiden campaign in Italy's top flight.

However, that looked a distinct possibility this season until Alessio Dionisi's side recently secured impressive back-to-back wins against Champions League qualification contenders AC Milan and Atalanta, with score draws against Monza and Udinese either side of those victories helping maintain their gap over an improving Hellas Verona side in 18th position.

Avoiding defeat against Napoli on Friday will be one of the greatest tests that any team in elite football can have on current form, but Dionisi should take great confidence from his side's recent wins against two high-flying teams in the table.

Having lost their first league game of the season to Inter Milan in their first match back after the World Cup, Napoli fans would undoubtedly have had fears of another incoming wobble from their team after so many near misses in terms of capturing the title in recent years.

Gli Azzurri's Serie A titles in 1986-87 and 1988-90 - during their golden Diego Maradona era - remain their only ever triumphs in Italy's top division, but it would require an unthinkable collapse for them not to add a third from here after Inter dropped two more points with a 0-0 draw away to struggling Sampdoria on Monday night.

As such, Luciano Spalletti's side travel to Sassuolo 15 points clear of their nearest rivals at the summit, having only dropped seven points in 22 matches so far this season. A seventh straight league win would surely make their lead unassailable, if it is not already.

With a Champions League last-16 tie against Eintracht Frankfurt to look forward to next week, the only blemish on Spalletti's copybook during his debut season to date has been their penalty-shootout exit to Cremonese in the Coppa Italia last month, which came as a huge surprise considering that it represented first versus bottom in terms of Italy's league table.

That disparity in quality was in full evidence on Sunday evening as Napoli secured a comfortable 3-0 win at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

However, ending 34 years of hurt would undoubtedly have Neapolitans dancing on the streets of Naples, while on current form it is impossible to rule them out of competing deep into the Champions League's latter stages - and potentially becoming Italy's first winner in that competition since Jose Mourinho's Inter in 2010.

Team News

Sassuolo will almost certainly remain without Jeremy Toljan, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury in recent weeks. Nadir Zortea will likely continue in his stead at right-back.

Otherwise, though, Dionisi appears to have a fully-fit squad to select from, with Italy winger Domenico Berardi hoping to get himself on the scoresheet after blanking in his side's last two matches.

Napoli, meanwhile, will travel with no injury or suspension concerns, but it would not be a huge surprise should Spalletti decide to shuffle his pack ahead of Tuesday's trip to Frankfurt.

While the former Roma boss will not want to miss an opportunity to put even further distance between his side and Inter, the likes of Tanguy Ndombele and Giacomo Raspadori could be utilised in order to rest Piotr Zielinski and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

Sassuolo possible starting lineup:
Consigli; Zortea, Erlic, Tressoldi, Marchizza; Frattesi, Obiang, Henrique; Berardi, Defrel, Lauriente

Napoli possible starting lineup:
Meret; Di Lorenzo, Rrahmani, Kim, Oliveira; Anguissa, Lobotka, Ndombele; Lozano, Osimhen, Raspadori

We say: Sassuolo 1-3 Napoli

Although it may prove difficult for Spalletti and his players not to cast half an eye on their trip to Frankfurt in the Champions League on Tuesday, they should be able to move 18 points clear at the top of the table with yet another victory.

Sassuolo have hugely improved in recent weeks and will undoubtedly pose the champions problems at times during the encounter, but they can be vulnerable defensively, which is not good news against one of Europe's most potent attacks.

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