Napoli will be hoping to keep up the pressure on leaders Inter when they welcome Empoli

Napoli will be hoping to keep up the pressure on Serie A leaders Inter Milan when they welcome Empoli to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Monday night.

Indeed, the hosts are three points behind Inter going into this weekend’s round of fixtures, with just seven games and 21 points left to play for. Their 1-1 draw away at Bologna last time out extended their unbeaten league run to five games, and they are also unbeaten in seven matches on home soil.

Down the other end of the table, Empoli are struggling in the relegation zone in 18th, two points away from safety. The visitors are winless in six matches in all competitions, having drawn 0-0 at home to Cagliari last time out.

Empoli also have not won in normal time away from home since beating Verona 4-1 in December, which does not bode well for them travelling to the second-placed team in the division. They have a surprisingly good recent H2H record against Napoli though, winning two of the last three meetings, which they can cling on to when they make the trip on Monday.

The now departed Khvicha Kvaratskhelia made the difference in the reverse fixture in October, scoring the only goal from the penalty spot midway through the second half in a 1-0 win.

Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa are both suspended for Napoli, while they also have a number of key injury doubts.

Tino Anjorin is a doubt for Empoli, and he could join a number of players on the sidelines for the visitors.

Napoli: Meret, Marin, Rrahmani, Juan, Olivera, Gilmour, Lobotka, Billing, Politano, Lukaku, Neres.

Empoli: Vasquez, Goglichidze, Marianucci, Viti, Sambia, Grassi, Henderson, Pezzella, Solbakken, Cacace, Esposito.