Allegri has ten places settled for Lazio, with Vergara or Lang the last

Massimiliano Allegri has picked ten of his eleven for Napoli's game against Lazio at the Maradona on Sunday 8 November, kick-off 12:30 CET (11:30 UK, 06:30 ET). The last place is between Vergara and Lang.

The choice matters. Vergara is a midfielder and Lang is a forward, so the pick will show how much Allegri is willing to risk against the league leaders. Vergara started in Porto, was booked in the first minute and came off in the 78th with Napoli 2-1 down. Mancini has since called him up to the national team, and he is the only Napoli player in the 31-man squad. Choosing between them means choosing between a bit more cover and a bit more pace going forward. Since the 2-0 defeat in Turin, the fanbase has criticised Allegri for picking the safer option too often.

The Porto back three, still without full-backs

The rest of the side is no surprise because Allegri has little to choose from. Every recognised full-back is out: Di Lorenzo, Olivera, Spinazzola and Favasuli. Buongiorno, Badiashile, Lobotka, Neres and Alisson Santos are also unavailable, and Marianucci is suspended.

That leaves Beukema, Rrahmani and Rafa Marín at the back again. They are the same three who conceded four goals at the Dragão, Porto's stadium, on Wednesday. Two of those goals came from corners, and three came from the 71st minute onwards. Rafa Marín was sent off in the 89th minute in Porto, but that was in the Champions League, so he is available for Serie A. This is the defence Allegri has, not the one he would choose. Still, the missing players do not explain why the team has fallen away in the last half-hour in both Turin and Porto.

The biggest name is De Bruyne in the number 10 role. Early in the week the Belgian was still listed as unavailable with the ankle sprain he picked up on 1 November. If he plays on Sunday, his return is the real news in this line-up. It also comes with the dressing room split over him after the scenes with Lucca in Porto. Allegri has to build the team around the player who is dividing it most right now.

The pressure above the team sheet

De Laurentiis went to Castel Volturno, the training ground, to talk to Allegri and the sporting director Giovanni Manna. He confirmed his faith in both and wants to give the coach major signings in January. But he expects improvement, and both men's futures depend on results. More defeats would put the coach's job in serious doubt. The squad has been staying at the Gli Dei hotel in Pozzuoli since 19:00 on Friday 6 November and will remain there until the match.

Lazio are top on 28 points, twice Napoli's 14. They are unbeaten in ten league games and had no European fixture this week, while Napoli come off the games in Turin and Porto. Lazio will be without their captain Zaccagni, who has a quadriceps injury. Napoli are eighth, nine points off the fourth place that Allegri named as the target.

One question is worth asking. If the problem in the last two defeats was lasting the full match, how much does it matter whether Vergara or Lang plays? Probably not much. What matters more is how the other ten start the game and what the bench does when it turns. In Porto, the substitutions came in the 78th minute, with Napoli already behind. On Sunday at 12:30 we will see whether the lesson has been learned.