Napoli scrap back three plan, go 4-2-3-1 against Frosinone

Napoli will not play with a back three against Frosinone after all. Saturday morning's papers had tipped Beukema to join Rrahmani and Rafa Marín in a three-man defence, but the plan changed by midday: head coach Allegri goes back to the usual 4-2-3-1, and Badiashile — tried this week at left-back — is left out again.

In midfield, the Gilmour-Lobotka pairing is back — on this version of events, the two complement each other better than any alternative. McTominay has passed his fitness check following heart surgery on 8 September, but starts on the bench; the plan is to bring him on midway through the second half, with one eye already on the Champions League trip to face Villarreal on 13 October.

Ahead of Højlund, the supporting trio is Neres, De Bruyne and Lang. There is no place for Lucca, despite Allegri's promise of more playing time for the striker signed from Udinese for €35m and still without a league goal, nor for Politano, overtaken in the attacking-midfield role. Lang, also goalless this season and already valued at €20m for a January sale, starts anyway — a sign Allegri still backs him despite his form.

Allegri's faith in Højlund was clear in his press conference: five appearances and two goals, a rate that would put the Dane on course for 16-18 goals by the end of the season. The coach used those numbers to answer those who questioned Højlund's form for his national team during the international break.

Napoli go into the Frosinone match ninth, with 7 points from 5 games and two good results in a row following the draw in Florence. The formation news aside, that remains the real picture: ninth place, well short of the top-four finish demanded by the club's ownership. After Frosinone, the squad travels to Spain, also on Tuesday 13 October, for matchday two of the Champions League league phase against Villarreal.