Fiorentina winger Ante Rebic (R) competes for the ball against Carpi's Gabriel Silva. (Photo : Getty Images)
Top contender ACF Fiorentina (12-4-2, 38 points) is scheduled to face reeling squad SS Lazio (7-8-3, 24 points) in a 2015-2016 Serie A season match at the Stadio Artemio Franchi in Florence on January 9, Saturday.
Fiorentina is currently running second in the overall standings, just one point behind current league leader Inter Milan.
Viola is on a two-game winning run, coming off an impressive 3-1 victory over struggling team Palermo at the Stadio Renzo Barbera last January 6, Wednesday, as per SkySports.
Slovenian midfielder Josip Ilicic scored a brace for Paulo Sousa's men at the 13th and 42nd minutes before Palermo forward Alberto Gilardino put his team on the board at the 77th.
Substitute midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski netted another one in injury time to complete the Lilies three-goal haul.
Meanwhile, Lazio settled for a 0-0 draw with lowly team Carpi at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome also on January 6, via ESPN.
I Biancocelesti has been mercurial in the past few weeks, drawing three, losing two, and winning only one game in their last six matches to drift at the 10th spot in the current league table.
Stefano Pioli's team is tied on points with Atalanta and Udinese but has a lesser goal differential than Atalanta and greater than that of Udinese.
The prediction is another 3-1 win for Fiorentina. Sousa's men are projected to win their third consecutive game to keep in pace with Inter Milan, Napoli, and Juventus as the league hottest teams as of the moment.
Fiorentina starting lineup (3-4-2-1 formation): Tatarusanu; Roncaglia, Gonzalo, Astori; Bernarderschi, Badelj, Vecino, Alonso; Ilicic, Valero; Kalinic
Lazio starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Wolfli; Konko, Mauricio, Hoedt, Radu; Cataldi, Onazi, Mandziuk; Candreva, Matri, Anderson
