Cremonese vs Lazio Prediction: La Cremo to apply plenty of pressure

Relegation-threatened Cremonese, who failed to win any of their four games in April (D1, L3), host mid-table Lazio at the Stadio Giovanni Zini on Monday (17:30 BST, live on Betfred.com), looking to land a victory that would move them to within a point of 17th-placed Lecce.

Below are my Cremonese vs Lazio predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this Serie A game in Cremona.

Team News

Faris Moumbagna (muscle) misses out again for Cremonese due to injury, but Jamie Vardy, who was sidelined for all four games last month, could make his return on Monday.

Matteo Cancellieri is suspended for Lazio after picking up his fifth yellow card of the league campaign in last Monday's 3-3 draw with Udinese at the Stadio Olimpico.

Also absent for the visitors are Ivan Provedel (shoulder), Mario Gila (leg), Samuel Gigot (ankle) and Danilo Cataldi (groin), while it remains to be seen whether captain Mattia Zaccagni has recovered from a thigh problem.

Cremonese vs Lazio Odds

Cremonese are 2/1 to win, implying a 33.3% probability of success, while Lazio are 7/5, or a 41.7% chance, with the draw available at 9/4.

Betfred are offering three Price Boosts, including Lazio to win, both teams to score & Daniel Maldini to score at 8/1 (was 7/1).

Home Team Total Shots Over/Under +11.5 - Over 11.5 @ 5/6

Cremonese need to start picking up points - and fast.

Marco Giampaolo's side are currently 18th in Serie A, four points behind 17th-placed Lecce, who occupy the final survival slot. Including Monday's game, La Cremo have just four chances left to climb above I Giallorossi, who have at least one winnable match left in their last three.

Anything less than a draw on Monday would be a big blow to Cremonese's survival hopes, and really, they ought to be going for the win.

As a result, there shouldn't be any conservativeness about their play against Coppa Italia finalists Lazio, who know that their best route to Europe next season is via the cup.

Maurizio Sarri's Lazio won 2-0 at Napoli last time out in Serie A, conceding 12 shots at the home of the reigning league champions, the third time in their last four away games (league only) that they had given up over 11.5 shots.

Cremonese, meanwhile, recorded 14 attempts in their last home match, a goalless draw with Torino on April 19, and they've registered 12+ in four of their last five on home soil.

Unless La Cremo take an early lead, expect Giampaolo's charges to rack up the shots here.

Player to Receive a Card - Giuseppe Pezzella (CRE) @ 3/1

While Cancellieri, one of the toughest wingers to defend against in Serie A, as underlined by his 3.6 fouls won per 90 average this season, is ruled out of Monday's match as he serves a suspension, the Italian is likely to be replaced on the right-hand side of Lazio's attack by Gustav Isaksen, another tricky opponent for full-backs.

Isaksen has been fouled 52 times in 27 league appearances (17 starts) this season, averaging out at 3.2 won per 90.

The Denmark international came on for Cancellieri in the 65th minute of last Monday's 3-3 draw thriller with Udinese and was upended twice, marking the fifth successive league game in which he had been fouled exactly twice, despite two of those appearances coming as a second-half substitute.

The last player to be booked for fouling Isaksen was AC Milan wing-back Pervis Estupinan in a 1-0 home win for Lazio on March 15.

Cremonese left-back Giueseppe Pezzella, averaging 1.6 fouls per 90 in this season's Serie A, could be next.

The 28-year-old has received eight yellows and one red in 27 league games (26 starts), and in December's reverse fixture, a goalless draw at the Stadio Olimpico, he committed five fouls, going into the book for his final one on Cancellieri.

Pezzella avoided any cards in April, but a Monday matchup with Isaksen could earn him a ninth yellow, or even a second red, of the season.

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