Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Serie A match.
The unexpected departure of Daniele De Rossi from AS Roma brings the new coach Ivan Juric into a challenging match against the league leaders. In their current form, Udinese Calcio are capable of posing a serious threat even to the top clubs in Serie A, and their sensational rise is likely to cause significant problems for AS Roma in this head-to-head encounter.
AS Roma
By mid-September, AS Roma had yet to secure a victory in the current campaign, failing to score in two out of their four matches. Against Genoa (1:1), Artem Dovbyk scored his debut goal for the team, but AS Roma could not hold onto their lead against the mid-table side, conceding 20 shots with a 1.10 xGA. Ivan Juric will likely revert to his familiar formation with a back four, although the team will need several weeks to adapt to the changes.
Udinese Calcio
Udinese’s surprising ascent to the top of Serie A is attributed to effective finishing (7 goals from 6.33 xG) and some luck in defence (only 4 goals conceded from 7.53 xGA). Notably, in the last round, Florian Thauvin shone once again for the team, scoring twice in the closing stages and securing an emotional comeback victory. Soon, Kosta Runjaić will have Gerard Deulofeu and Alexis Sánchez back in the squad, further strengthening their attack.
AS Roma vs Udinese Calcio Prediction
Since July 2020, AS Roma have defeated Udinese Calcio by a margin of two goals or more only three times in nine meetings. The unstable Rome side will struggle to keep up with their opponent’s current high tempo.
