Lazio will look to prolong an incredible start to the Serie A season on Sunday, when they welcome Cagliari to Stadio Olimpico.

For the first time since they last lifted the Scudetto, the Biancocelesti are unbeaten through their first nine league games; meanwhile, the visitors remain in Rome after suffering another defeat in midweek. 

Match preview

With the Serie A summit up for grabs, Lazio briefly went top of the pile on Tuesday night, smashing 10-man Sassuolo 6-2 in Reggio Emilia.

Tijjani Noslin bagged a brace as the Biancocelesti moved above reigning champions Inter Milan with yet another win, making it seven from eight games so far.

Inter were soon back on top after they won in Venice, but only on goals scored, and optimistic Lazio fans may even be eyeing a first title since the 1999-2000 campaign.

Gennaro Gattuso will not entertain such talk, even though his team boast the division's best defensive record and have now scored at least twice in their last seven Serie A matches. 

That is the capital club's best such run since Simone Inzaghi's side reached 12 in 2020, when they were contending for the Scudetto until COVID-19 intervened.

Lazio have also averaged above two goals per game while winning 13 of their last 14 games against Cagliari at Stadio Olimpico, where a fan boycott will leave most seats empty again this weekend.

Home or away, Cagliari are winless in 22 Serie A matches against Lazio, dating back to 2013; furthermore, only February's goalless draw ended a streak of six consecutive defeats.

Even more concerning is the Rossoblu's recent run of results, as their form has fallen off a cliff following a fast start to the current campaign.

After winning four of their first six league fixtures, Cagliari have lost all of the next three, and they had failed to score for more than 250 minutes leading into Tuesday's clash with Roma. 

Before facing Lazio, Fabio Pisacane's side took on the Biancocelesti’s city rivals at the Olimpico, and they came quite close to pulling off a shock.

Having seized an early lead, they were trailing 2-1 until the 81st minute, when substitute Daniel Maldini dramatically levelled things up; however, Roma then struck back with two late goals.

Lazio Serie A form:

Cagliari Serie A form:

Team News

Without Europe to concern him, Gattuso has made relatively few changes so far, and it should be a settled Lazio side that takes to the field on Sunday - even if the hosts now have more options.

Adam Marusic and Nicolo Rovella are both back from injury, and Andrea Pinamonti recovered from illness in time to face former club Sassuolo in midweek, so only Albert Gudmundsson is still sidelined.

Noslin must beat Pinamonti to selection up front, but captain Mattia Zaccagni is a fixture on the Biancocelesti's left flank; now back to his best, the latter has seven Serie A goal involvements this term.

Meanwhile, Maldini is Cagliari's form player: having scored two goals in 12 Lazio appearances last season, the Italy forward has netted five in his first nine for Cagliari.

Pisacane will be missing long-term absentees Riyad Idrissi and Mattia Felici, while Harry Winks was withdrawn during the recent defeat to Bologna and is still struggling with a back problem.

More positively, young striker Yael Trepy returned to the pitch and almost scored against Roma, two months after nearly drowning and being placed in an induced coma.

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Mandas; Floriani Mussolini, Doekhi, Provstgaard, Tavares; Frattesi, Belahyane, Taylor; Isaksen, Noslin, Zaccagni

Cagliari possible starting lineup:

Caprile; Ze Pedro, Mina, Rodriguez, Obert; Adopo, Deiola, Romano; Massolin, Maldini; Mendy

We say: Lazio 3-1 Cagliari 

While Lazio cannot stop scoring, Cagliari have begun to leak goals at an alarming rate, and that is not a good combination for the Sardinian side.

So, the hosts' success streak will go on, while the visitors are set for their second loss in Rome within the space of five days.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.