Serie A official line-ups: Lazio vs. Cremonese

Lazio are decimated by bans, injuries and illness, so look to Pedro and Taty Castellanos against Jamie Vardy’s high-flying Cremonese.

It kicks off at the Stadio Olimpico at 17.00 GMT.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens from this game and Juventus vs. Roma on the Liveblog.

This is a surprising battle for position, because going into Week 16 Lazio are in eighth place on 22 points, with Cremonese lagging not far behind in 11th on 20.

The table could look very interesting considering this weekend’s fixtures are staggered due to the Supercoppa Italiana.

Lazio are coming off a 1-1 draw against Bologna down to 10 men, then earned a remarkable 1-0 victory away to Parma when down to just nine.

Because of those red cards, both Mattia Zaccagni and Toma Basic are suspended, with Boulaye Dia and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru at the Africa Cup of Nations.

The good news is that Mario Gila returns from his ban, but the absentee list includes Gustav Isaksen, Samuel Gigot and Nicolò Rovella.

As if that wasn’t enough, Lazio were also hit with a flu wave this week, but Alessio Romagnoli and Tijjani Noslin have shaken off the sniffles and are ready to play.

Pedro gets the nod in a trident attack with Castellanos and Matteo Cancellieri, while Matias Vecino steps into the midfield.

Cremonese are having an incredible campaign under miracle-worker coach Davide Nicola after their promotion from Serie B last summer.

There was a negative run of three consecutive defeats, but they got back on track with victories over Bologna and Lecce, followed by last week’s controversial 1-0 loss at Torino.

Martin Payero is suspended, with Michele Collocolo and Matteo Bianchetti not fully fit, but Mikayil Faye and Jeremy Sarmiento are available again.

Vardy leads the attack with Federico Bonazzoli, the 38-year-old scoring four goals in 11 Serie A games for Cremonese, and Francesco Folino gets his first start in the top flight.

Lazio: Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Pellegrini; Guendouzi, Cataldi, Vecino; Cancellieri, Castellanos, Pedro

Cremonese: Audero; Terracciano, Baschirotto, Folino; Barbieri, Grassi, Bondo, Johnsen, Pezzella; Bonazzoli, Vardy