Udinese Vs Torino Separated By Two Points Before Saturday Clash

Udinese vs Torino arrives on Saturday afternoon with just two points between the sides in the Serie A standings. Udinese lead Torino with four games to go, and both clubs still sit behind the top-half pace.

Udinese And Torino In Frame

That margin gives this mid-table meeting real weight. Udinese ended last season 12th, and Kosta Runjaic has pushed them into a stronger position, while Torino have climbed clear of relegation trouble under Roberto D'Aversa and are now chasing more than survival.

Udinese can also take another step toward a rare marker. They won the reverse fixture 2-1 in January, and a second straight league win over Torino would be their first double against this opponent since 2008.

Runjaic's Side Has Reserves

Runjaic's side reached this point through a mixed April. They beat AC Milan 3-0 at San Siro, then lost 1-0 at home to Parma before drawing 3-3 with Lazio in Rome on Monday evening after trailing 2-1 with five minutes left.

Arthur Atta scored twice in that comeback, and Kingsley Ehizibue also found the net. Since the start of March, Udinese have also drawn with Atalanta and Como and beaten Genoa and Fiorentina, a run that explains why they are still in the chase with four games to go.

There is still a complication in the squad. Keinan Davis is a major doubt, Jurgen Ekkelenkamp took a knock to his left ankle against Lazio, Jordan Zemura and Nicolo Bertola are injured, and Alessandro Zanoli remains out for the long term. Jesper Karlstrom could return after a one-match ban, while Adam Buksa, Vakoun Bayo and Idrissa Gueye are available if Davis sits out again.

D'Aversa's Torino Run

Torino arrive with form that should keep the contest tight. They have collected 14 points from eight games since D'Aversa's arrival two months ago, a pace that would rank fifth in Italy's top flight over that stretch, and they have scored 14 goals in that period.

Last week they drew 2-2 at home with Inter Milan. Giovanni Simeone scored and Nikola Vlasic equalized from the spot, and Torino are now seeking a third straight clean sheet away from Turin.

With only two points separating the teams, this is more than a routine late-season fixture. Udinese need the points to keep top-half hopes alive, and Torino can keep pressing upward if they leave with a result in a game that still has room to shift the table.