Parma vs Napoli Prediction: Scot too hot for I Crociati

Two clubs with very contrasting objectives face off at the Stadio Ennio Tardini on Sunday (19:45, TNT Sports 1) as relegation-threatened Parma host Scudetto chasers Napoli in Serie A. I Crociati are four points above the relegation zone, but could still be dragged into trouble, while Gli Azzurri are leading the table, but Inter's 2-0 victory at Torino last Saturday, combined with their 2-2 draw at Genoa the following day, saw the gap cut to just a single point with two rounds of fixtures remaining.

Below are my Parma vs Napoli predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds ahead of this crunch clash in Italy.

Team News

Where to start with Parma's injury list? Adrian Bernabe, Alessandro Vogliacco, Matteo Cancellieri and Valentin Mihaila have all been struck down by problems pertaining to the thigh area, joined in the treatment room by Gabriel Charpentier (Achilles), Mateusz Kowalski (knee) and Yordan Osorio (herniated disc).

Lautaro Valentini, meanwhile, is suspended after being dismissed for two bookable offences at Empoli last Saturday.

Football Odds

Australian centre-back Alessandro Circati is the obvious candidate to replace the Argentine at the back, but the 21-year-old hasn't featured since September 16 due to injury, only making the bench for the last five games, and so Hungary international Botond Balogh could come into the back three on Sunday.

Napoli were dealt a big blow just 13 minutes into last Sunday's 2-2 draw against Genoa as influential midfielder Stanislav Lobotka was forced off with an ankle injury that is likely to rule him out of this weekend's clash. Billy Gilmour replaced the Slovakian in Naples and the Scotland international is in line for a starting role at Parma.

Juan Jesus and Alessandro Buongiorno (both thigh) are also expected to sit this one out for Antonio Conte's side.

Parma vs Napoli Odds

Parma have only won one of their last 10 games, and Sunday's hosts are big underdogs (11/2) to triumph against Napoli, who are 1/2, or a 66.6% chance, to return to winning ways.

The draw is priced at 16/5, both teams to score at 1/1, and over 2.5 total goals at 10/11.

Anytime Goalscorer - Scott McTominay (NAP) @ 2/1

Napoli and Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay has enjoyed a fine first season in Italian football, netting 11 times in 32 Serie A appearances, and he's been in particularly potent form of late, scoring five goals in his last five games.

The 28-year-old failed to get on the scoresheet last weekend, but he still made his mark, registering an assist apiece for Romelu Lukaku and Giacomo Raspadori.

McTominay has proven himself to be a 'clutch' player for Gli Azzurri, striking in big games against Inter and Atalanta, as well as scoring decisive goals in other matches.

Sunday is another hugely important one for Napoli, and they will be reliant on the likes of McTominay and Lukaku to come up trumps in their pursuit of the Scudetto.

At 2/1, I'm taking on the Scot to showcase his big-game credentials again this weekend.

To Win to Nil - Napoli @ 11/8

Napoli dropped points last weekend, but that was the first time they had done so since April 7 when they drew 1-1 at Bologna before embarking on a run of four consecutive wins.

Gli Azzurri kept clean sheets in all four of those victories, and Conte's side top the Serie A clean sheets table this season with 17 from 36 games.

Parma, meanwhile, have lost their last two matches, the first of which was a 1-0 home defeat to Como.

I Crociati have blanked three times in their last seven contests, and their goal in Naples this season, when the hosts scored twice in second-half injury time to win 2-1, was only struck from the penalty spot.

I can see Napoli grinding out another clean sheet and win here, so the above selection makes a lot of sense at 11/8.

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