Empoli vs Torino Prediction: Hosts heading for a narrow victory

Having stayed up by the skin of their teeth on the final day of last season, very little was expected of Empoli this time around, with many tipping them for relegation to Serie B. However, Roberto D'Aversa’s side have exceeded expectations and then some, sitting 10th in Serie A after 15 games, just three points behind seventh-placed AC Milan.

They will come into Friday's clash with Torino in good spirits following last weekend’s 4-1 rout of Verona and it is difficult to envisage an out-of-sorts Torino causing them too many issues at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.

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Empoli have a long list of absentees, with Pietro Pellegri the latest player to get injured, joining Szymon Zurkowski, Tyronne Ebuehi, Saba Sazonov, Nicolas Haas and Jacopo Fazzini on the sidelines.

The hosts must also do without the suspended Liam Henderson, while Alberto Grassi is a doubt.

Torino are far less depleted, with Duvan Zapata, Ivan Ilic and Peer Schuurs their only absentees.

Match odds, Empoli vs Torino

There is very little between these sides in the market, with Empoli 6/4, Torino 11/5 and the draw 15/8.

A tight affair is expected and, as a result, goals are not on the agenda. Over 2.5 goals is a big price at 7/4, while both teams to score is also odds-against, being chalked up at 6/5.

In-form Empoli forward Sebastiano Esposito is the 11/2 favourite to open the scoring, with former Southampton man Che Adams rated Torino’s best shot for the first goal at 7/1.

Empoli to win @ 6/4

Last week was an excellent one for Empoli as they reached the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia with a penalty-shootout victory over Fiorentina before their impressive 4-1 victory at Verona.

D’Aversa’s men have lost just one of their last six matches - that defeat came against AC Milan at the San Siro - and that form suggests that even a growing injury list will not prevent them from seeing off Torino on Friday.

The visitors have managed just one win in their last 11 matches, losing eight times in that dire run which has seen them score a measly nine goals and only beat struggling Como.

The Bulsl have blanked in their last three away games and they may struggle to lay a glove on Empoli, who are fancied to take all three points in a narrow victory, with 1-0 an appealing selection for a correct-score bet at 5/1.

Bet Builder: Under 2.5 goals, Sebastiano Esposito anytime goalscorer @ 11/2

With Torino seemingly incapable of putting the ball in the net and Empoli scoring just twice across their last seven home matches, under 2.5 goals looks like a solid starting point for a bet builder.

While goals may be at a premium, Empoli are still fancied to win and, therefore, it could pay to back their in-form forward, Sebastiano Esposito, to find the net and round out the betslip.

Esposito has scored three goals in his last two matches and will likely get more chances with fellow striker Pellegri out injured.

Football Betting Tips from Betfred Insights.