Allegri benches Lobotka and Lucca for Venezia-Napoli

Massimiliano Allegri's starting XI for Venezia-Napoli at the Penzo carries one decision that matters more than the rest: in midfield, alongside McTominay and De Bruyne, it is Gilmour who starts, not Lobotka. Kick-off is at 15:00 CET (14:00 UK), four days after Tuesday 13 October's 3-1 defeat at Villarreal, a result that left the league table untouched but stoked anger among supporters. The side picked for the Penzo suggests the head coach favours running and covering the pitch over building play from the back.

Up front, Höjlund leads the line, with Politano, the vice-captain, and Giovane out wide. Lucca, who joined from Udinese on 9 October, is left out of the XI too: the striker takes a seat on the bench alongside Neres and Lang, while Spinazzola, Beukema and Contini complete Allegri's options in reserve.

It is a line-up that does not tear up everything after Villarreal, but the changes made are the ones worth arguing about: a more dynamic midfield in place of the deep-lying playmaker, a defender signed only days ago thrown straight into the side, a new striker left out again. Whether that is enough to correct course will be seen on the pitch, after two defeats, two wins and a draw in the last five competitive matches — a record nobody in Napoli is willing to treat as business as usual.