Manchester City have reportedly identified Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister as their desired replacement for Ilkay Gundogan at the end of the season.

Mac Allister, 24, is enjoying a career-best season, with his five goals in 17 Premier League fixtures already matching his best ever tally for a full league season.

The talented creative midfielder also made six starts for Argentina during their march to victory at the Qatar World Cup, scoring his first senior international goal during a 2-0 win over Poland in the group stage.

His emergence as a player capable of shining on the world stage, as well as his contribution to Brighton's terrific season, has apparently caught the eye of City boss Pep Guardiola.

TOP STORY – CITY VIEW MAC ALLISTER AS IDEAL GUNDOGAN REPLACEMENT

According to Fichajes, Gundogan is expected to leave City when his contract expires at the end of the season, and Bernardo Silva could follow if he gets his wish with a LaLiga move.

The report states Guardiola is a big fan of Mac Allister, and believes he has proven himself as a capable Premier League producer.

Fichajes claim Brighton have set an asking price in the range of £40million, indicating they are more willing to part ways with him than 21-year-old Moises Caicedo, with both of their contracts expiring in 2025.

ROUND-UP

– ESPN is reporting Napoli will hold firm with an asking price of at least €100m (£90m) for 24-year-old striker Victor Osimhen, who has strong interest from Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.

– According to 90min, Chelsea's top priority now is sorting out a contract extension for 24-year-old England international Mason Mount.

– Mason Greenwood will look to revive his career in China if United decide to let him go, per the Sun.

– Caught Offside is reporting West Ham and Everton will have to return after the season if they want to sign 27-year-old winger Sheraldo Becker, with Union Berlin unwilling to deal in January due to their strong league position.

Jose Mourinho claimed Roma suffered an "unfair" defeat to runaway Serie A leaders Napoli as he saluted both his team and the rival side he is convinced will win the Scudetto.

Head coach Mourinho could not get the better of opposite number Luciano Spalletti, whose Napoli players sit 13 points clear at the top of the table after 20 games.

Sixth-placed Roma would have moved level on points with Inter, who sit second, had they got the win at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Victor Osimhen converted Khvicha Kvaratskhelia's cross in stunning style to give Napoli a 17th-minute lead, but Roma levelled up in the 75th minute through Stephan El Shaarawy.

Yet Mourinho's visitors could not hang on for a point, with Giovanni Simeone firing an 86th-minute winner when he took on a short pass from Piotr Zielinski and was allowed to turn inside the penalty area before firing powerfully into the right corner.

Mourinho said: “From the first minute we played well. The team were always in control, we pressed very hard, we defended well.

"Napoli suffered, we are the team that scared them most. The stadium seemed empty, and beyond the negative result I leave here more confident.

"Sometimes football is unfair, the team that deserves more loses. Sometimes we won without deserving it, tonight they [Roma] deserved to win. I told the boys that we must be sad for the defeat, but calmly see you on Wednesday at the Olimpico."

Roma face Cremonese in midweek in a Coppa Italia quarter-final.

"Today we saw that Napoli are very good and have the champion's star," Mourinho told DAZN. "I have won eight championships, I know what it means to have the star that lights up for you. The championship will definitely be theirs."

Mourinho saw plenty to admire about Napoli striker Osimhen, but warned the Nigerian striker would have to change his game if he ever goes to the Premier League.

"Osimhen is very strong, he's difficult to mark, he's a top player, but if he goes to England he has to change because they'll kill him," Mourinho said. "Certain attitudes are accepted in Italy."

Napoli boss Spalletti said determination was key to his team's success.

"They're delicate matches and those who have played have done so with the right attitude," Spalletti said.

His team's lead is the largest by any team at this stage of a Serie A season since 1994-95, when the three points for a win era began.

Osimhen's opener was a special strike, with the striker controlling the ball on his chest, then taking a touch with his knee, before rifling an unstoppable shot into the top-right corner.

"There is technical quality, there is personality," Spalletti told DAZN. "He is a physically strong player and it becomes difficult to get at him."

Roma head coach Jose Mourinho has congratulated Napoli on already wrapping up the Serie A title, despite the season only being halfway complete.

Napoli are 12 points clear of closest challengers Milan at the summit after winning 16 of their opening 19 games and losing just once.

They are just the third different team in Serie A history, after Juventus three times and Inter once, to have won that number of games in the first half of a season.

Roma will look to halt Napoli's momentum at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona on Sunday, but regardless of the result, Mourinho can only see one outcome in the title race.

"I'll say what I always say: they have already won the Scudetto, and deservedly so," Mourinho said at Saturday's pre-match press conference.

"They are an excellent team, with an excellent coach in Luciano Spalletti. They are now 12 points ahead and there are no teams that scare them. The Scudetto is theirs.

"We won't just step out of the way for them, but they have already won the championship. Congratulations to them."

Napoli are unbeaten in eight of their past nine Serie A matches against Roma, with their sole defeat in that run coming in November 2019 (a 2-1 loss at Stadio Olimpico).

Among the 10 coaches Mourinho has faced at least four times in Serie A, Spalletti is the one he has the worst win percentage against (20 per cent), with just one win from five.

For Spalletti, though, it is still a case of one game at a time as Napoli target an elusive first title since the 1989-1990 season in the days of Diego Maradona.

"The results of other teams is not down to us, so we must therefore always behave the same and play well, while also being humble," Spalletti told reporters.

"We pay attention to taking it one step at a time, concentrating on where we put our feet. We work daily and never beyond."

Napoli are unbeaten in their past four home league games against Roma – not since between 1985 and 1989 have they enjoyed a longer such streak (a run of seven). 

Napoli have bolstered their goalkeeping ranks with the loan signing of Pierluigi Gollini from Atalanta.

The Serie A leaders, who are 12 points clear at the summit, have signed the 27-year-old until the end of the season, with an option to make the move permanent.

Gollini's move came as Salvatore Sirigu left Napoli to join Fiorentina in something of a swap transfer.

Fiorentina loaned Gollini from Atalanta at the start of the season, but he made just nine appearances for the Viola, conceding eight goals.

Gollini spent last season on loan at Tottenham, for whom he played 10 times.

He will be tasked with challenging Alex Meret, who has been an ever-present for Napoli in the league this term, conceding 14 goals in 19 games.

Maurizio Sarri was pleased to be able to help out former club Napoli as his Lazio side's 4-0 thrashing of Milan on Tuesday gave the Serie A leaders another boost in their title charge.

Sarri was born in Naples and managed the Partenopei between 2015 and 2018, who under Luciano Spalletti now look set to end a 33-year wait for Scudetto success.

Napoli's lead at the top was 12 points heading into Milan's game with Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, and that remained the case following a rampant display from the hosts.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Mattia Zaccagni had Sarri's men cruising at the break, and Luis Alberto and Felipe Anderson added second-half goals as Milan's bid to close the gap to the Serie A summit to nine points fell woefully short.

While Sarri was keen to focus on his team's performance, he also said he found pleasure in assisting his old club, telling DAZN: "We mainly gave ourselves a gift. We cared a lot for the standings and to show how much we have grown.

"If Napoli are well placed in the standings, for me it's nothing but a reason for satisfaction."

The sparkling display against Milan was Lazio's second straight league win and hoisted them from sixth up into third, just a point behind the reigning champions.

Aside from their impressive attacking performance, Sarri's men picked up an 11th clean sheet in 19 Serie A games so far this campaign, equalling the club record for clean sheets at this point in a top-flight season.

Former Chelsea boss Sarri was delighted with how his team performed and suggested it may have been the best they had played under him since arriving at the club in 2021.

"In terms of technical, tactical enjoyment, today was one of the best," Sarri added. "Perhaps the best.

"This group has always given me total availability and we can do well if we remove the flaw of not picking up away points against inferior teams on paper."

The victory moved Lazio above top-four rivals Inter and Roma on goal difference, after their bid for Champions League qualification already received a big hand on Saturday with Juventus' 15-point deduction for alleged false accounting.

Sarri hopes his side can maintain their momentum and continue their assault on the top four against Fiorentina on Sunday, saying: "At the final whistle, I thought that in a few days we have a very difficult match against Fiorentina.

"We must not think about the long term, but keep the adrenaline seen tonight also in the next matches. Unfortunately, this has sometimes been our flaw.

"We do the maximum of what we can do, then at the end of the season we'll sum up. There are teams that are better equipped for me [to finish top four], but we still take it one game at a time and see what comes of it."

Chelsea are reportedly looking to make a significant investment in a young midfielder, and remain strongly linked to Benfica's Enzo Fernandez as well as Moises Caicedo of Brighton and Hove Albion.

Fernandez, 22, burst onto the world stage as he forced his way into Argentina's starting XI en route to their 2022 World Cup victory, earning the Best Young Player honour in Qatar in the process.

Meanwhile, 21-year-old Caicedo has looked right at home in his second Premier League season, starting in all 18 of his appearances this campaign to help propel Brighton up to a surprising sixth on the table.

With Jorginho's future at Chelsea up in the air and fellow 31-year-old N'Golo Kante having not played since August due to a serious hamstring injury, Chelsea are looking for a long-term solution in the centre of the park – and are once again willing to pay up.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA SET TO RETURN WITH FRESH OFFERS FOR FERNANDEZ AND CAICEDO

According to Portuguese publication Record, Chelsea will attempt to secure Fernandez before the end of January, but are aware Benfica will not budge below the player's £106million (€120m) release clause.

The Guardian adds an improved offer for Caicedo "remains a possibility" after their recent bid of £55m was rejected by Brighton, although it is now believed the Seagulls are "scouring the market for potential replacements" for the Ecuador international.

Caicedo is not the only Brighton player their former head coach, now Chelsea boss, Graham Potter has fond memories of, also enquiring about 24-year-old midfielder and Fernandez's Argentinian team-mate Alexis Mac Allister.

ROUND-UP

– Talksport is reporting Newcastle United have interest in 21-year-old Everton forward Anthony Gordon as a replacement for Chris Wood after the big striker left on loan to Nottingham Forest.

– According to Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Manchester United have been put off by Napoli's £88m (€100m) asking price for 24-year-old striker Victor Osimhen and will seek a cheaper alternative.

– Jude Bellingham is expected to reject the latest contract extension offer from Borussia Dortmund, and, per the Daily Star, five clubs will be competing for his services via transfer: Manchester City, United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Real Madrid.

– The Athletic is reporting Bournemouth are working on an offer of £17.5m (€20m) plus add-ons for 21-year-old Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson, who is also a Southampton target.

– After rejecting approaches from Aston Villa, Fulham and Bournemouth, Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie could get his wish to head to a top club as Arsenal have reportedly entered the race for the £22m-rated (€25m) United States international, per Gazzetta dello Sport.

Napoli must seize their "unprecedented opportunity" to win the Scudetto after reaching 50 points at the halfway mark of the Serie A season by beating Salernitana, says Luciano Spalletti.

Goals from Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Victor Osimhen helped Napoli to a routine 2-0 victory over the strugglers on Saturday, moving them 12 points clear of second-placed Milan ahead of the Rossoneri's trip to Lazio on Tuesday.

The result made Napoli just the third team to reach 50 points in the first half of a Serie A season, after Juventus (in 2013-14 and 2018-19) and Inter (in 2006-07).

No side has ever failed to win Serie A after reaching a half-century of points at this stage of a campaign, and head coach Spalletti knows Napoli have an incredible opportunity to claim their first league title since 1990. 

"We know that we have an unprecedented opportunity," Spalletti told DAZN after the win. "We must not squander the possibilities we have. We must remain humble and do things professionally."

Napoli had to remain patient before making the breakthrough in Salerno, recording their lowest shot tally in the first half of a Serie A match (two) since February 2021 (one v Atalanta).

The Partenopei were good value for their victory after Di Lorenzo hammered home on the stroke of half-time, however, leading Spalletti to praise the way they improved as the game went on.  

"These matches can be conditioned by us having too much responsibility," he said.

"You have to take the field with the right mentality and always play football well, with the correct rhythm, which is what makes you win the games. 

"In the first half we couldn't find the spaces and indeed we could have risked some dangerous restarts. In the second half, however, everyone did very well."

As well as his first goal of the season in Serie A, Di Lorenzo's opener represented his first league strike on the road since he found the net at Sassuolo in March 2021.

Reflecting on Napoli's incredible campaign to date, the captain credited his team-mates for their response to the pre-season exits of key players including Kalidou Koulibaly, Fabian Ruiz, Lorenzo Insigne and Dries Mertens.

"It's a beautiful first half [of the season]," he said. "We lost important players last summer, but we got off to a great start with a new group. We have to continue like this.

"We've improved a lot in game management. We know that every game will be difficult. Tonight's is a great victory."

Serie A leaders Napoli lost to basement side Cremonese to exit the Coppa Italia and be left with "so much disappointment".

This looks like being a dream season for the Partenopei, who have established a nine-point advantage at the top of the table as they bid for a first Scudetto since 1990.

Luciano Spalletti's side are also through in the Champions League after an impressive group stage, but there will be no improbable treble.

That is because a seemingly straightforward Coppa tie against 10-man Cremonese saw Napoli eliminated on Tuesday.

Cremonese have not won a single game in Serie A all season but reached the round of 16 for just the third time in their history thanks to a penalty shoot-out success following a 2-2 draw.

Napoli, whose line-up showed 10 changes from their stunning 5-1 defeat of Juventus on Friday, looked to be heading through after Juan Jesus and Giovanni Simeone scored in quick succession in the first half to cancel out Charles Pickel's opener.

But Felix Afena-Gyan pulled Cremonese level three minutes from time, and the strugglers survived extra time even after Leonardo Sernicola was sent off.

In a shoot-out, only Napoli substitute Stanislav Lobotka missed – a costly error for a team who had also introduced Victor Osimhen from the bench by that point.

"We are sorry," coach Spalletti told Mediaset. "There is so much disappointment.

"We always have to go through the management of the game, of the ball, and we have not been as good as we usually are.

"But then the game was in complete safety because they, apart from a few balls to the attackers, could not do much. We conceded goals in a situation where we lost two balls that were going out.

"Then we scored two goals and wasted several chances, but unfortunately that's how it works. When you question a game that was under management then it becomes complicated."

Premier League heavyweights Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle United are reportedly preparing to target Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who may leave the Serie A leaders at the end of the season.

Osimhen, 24, became Napoli's club-record signing when he arrived at the club for €70million in July 2020, and he has met all expectations.

After scoring 14 goals in 27 league appearances last season, Osimhen has raised the bar, finding the back of the net 12 times with four assists during his 14 league fixtures in 2022-23.

With Napoli nine points clear at the Serie A summit and seeking their first title since the 1989-90 season, a January sale is off the table, but talks are expected to heat up at the end of the campaign.

TOP STORY – NAPOLI SLAP €150M PRICE TAG ON PREMIER LEAGUE TARGET OSIMHEN

According to Il Mattino, Napoli believe that if Chelsea new-boy Mykhaylo Mudryk is worth €100m (£88.5m), then Osimhen is worth €150m (£133m).

The Nigerian international's contract ties him to the Italian side until 2025, giving I Partenopei enough leverage to hold firm at what they believe is a fair valuation, but they will be forced to listen to offers at the end of the season if he shows no indication of signing an extension.

The report states Arsenal, United and Newcastle have already made their interest clear, although Arsenal specifically appear to be weighing up a number of expensive options after opting against meeting Mudryk's asking price.

ROUND-UP

– The Times is reporting Arsenal have made 24-year-old West Ham midfielder Declan Rice their top priority in the post-season transfer window, and the England international could cost £80m.

– According to The Telegraph, Newcastle have enquired about Chelsea trio Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Hakim Ziyech.

– Newcastle have also reportedly joined Leicester City in the pursuit of 24-year-old Fiorentina forward Nico Gonzalez, who will cost at least €45m (£40m), per TuttoMercatoWeb.

– 90min is reporting Leeds United have increased their bid for 22-year-old Angers midfielder and Morocco standout Azzedine Ounahi to £22.2m (€25m).

– The agent of 25-year-old Villarreal winger Arnaut Danjuma has reached out to Liverpool, Tottenham and West Ham in an effort to organise a move to the Premier League this month, per Relevo.

Arsenal have reportedly made an effort to assess the availability of Barcelona forwards Ferran Torres and Raphinha.

Raphinha arrived at the club in July in a €55million move from Leeds United, but he has struggled to break into Xavi's best side, making only seven starts in his 15 appearances.

Torres is in a similar situation after Barcelona signed him from Manchester City for €55m just over 12 months ago, making six starts from his 16 LaLiga outings this season.

With Arsenal's pursuit of Mykhaylo Mudryk getting hijacked by Chelsea, the duo are now being considered as alternatives, but the asking price may not be much lower.

TOP STORY – ARSENAL TURN TO BARCELONA AFTER MUDRYK DISAPPOINTMENT

According to 90min, Arsenal director Edu reached out to Barcelona and engaged in "exploratory talks" about what it would take to secure Torres or Raphinha before the end of the month.

The report also says that Arsenal have enquired about Brighton and Hove Albion duo Leandro Trossard and Kaoru Mitoma, as well as breakout Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who is believed to be unavailable.

Meanwhile, Sport is reporting Barcelona have demanded €100m (£88m) as a starting point for any discussions about Raphinha, but there is no indication about what Torres could cost.

ROUND-UP

– Football Insider is reporting Chelsea will listen to offers for 28-year-old England international Raheem Sterling.

– According to Foot Mercato, West Ham have submitted a £26.5m (€30m) offer for 23-year-old Lorient striker Terem Moffi, who would prefer to move to fellow Ligue 1 side Nice, but their bid remains insufficient.

– Arsenal are interested in 18-year-old Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda, per the Telegraph, while Tuttomercatoweb adds Juventus have also enquired and been informed of a €15m asking price.

– According to Fichajes, Manchester United and Arsenal are both pursuing 22-year-old Real Betis winger Luiz Henrique.

– Calciomercato is reporting Arsenal are preparing a £71m (€80m) bid for 22-year-old Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Luciano Spalletti hailed Victor Osimhen for his performance in Napoli's 5-1 thrashing of Juventus and says he is "amazed" by what the striker still has to offer.

Osimhen opened the scoring for Napoli in Friday's top-of-the-table Serie A clash with a close-range finish, ending Juve's run of 770 minutes without conceding in the league.

The 24-year-old then assisted Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, before doubling his strike tally in the second half in between goals from Amir Rrahmani and Elif Elmas.

He is only the third player to score and assist in the first half against Juve over the past 15 seasons, after Cagliari's Luca Gagliano and Roma's Diego Perotti (both in 2020).

But while now boasting 13 goals and three assists in 17 appearances this season, Spalletti believes there is more to come from the Nigeria international.

"I am amazed by the potential Osimhen hasn't put into practice yet," Spalletti told DAZN. "He is devastating on long balls, can stand strong physically and has courage too.

"He's had his face cut two or three times because he never backs down. He almost always takes risks but he's a player who has potential and room for improvement."

Napoli have now scored 64 goals in 24 matches this season, making them the fourth-highest scoring team across Europe's top five leagues in all competitions.

More important than that is the 10-point margin Napoli now have on Juventus and Milan at the Serie A summit, though the latter have a game in hand at Lecce on Saturday.

The Partenopei are heavy favourites to win their first Scudetto since the 1989-90 season, even if Spalletti has suggested otherwise, after sending out another message.

"The only message is to ourselves," Spalletti said. "Juventus are a colossus and that run of results they were on allowed them to go into this match in second place.

"What we said before kick-off was that we didn't want to end the game with remorse or being hesitant. Instead, we attacked in an open way and took control of the match."

Angel Di Maria had levelled up before half-time for Juve, who entered the game on an eight-match winning run in the league without conceding a single goal.

Despite Napoli stretching their lead at the top, Juventus defender Danilo is not giving up hope of catching Spalletti's side in the second half of the season.

"The Scudetto will be decided in June," he said. "We will think only match-to-match; only in this way can we get higher in the standings. Then we will see what happens.

"Juve must always aim for the Scudetto. We must understand that from tomorrow our thinking must change. As a club we know we have to leave everything on the pitch."

Massimiliano Allegri has told his Juventus players not to let their heads drop after being thumped 5-1 by Napoli as there is still plenty to play for this season.

Juve missed the chance to close the gap on Napoli at the top of Serie A, instead slipping 10 points behind the leaders with their heavy loss at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

The Bianconeri entered Friday's contest on an eight-match winning run without conceding, but they shipped five times in a league match for the first time in close to 30 years.

Allegri has no complaints with the scoreline and is now looking for a quick response when Juve face Monza in the Coppa Italia last 16 next Thursday.

"There are some defeats that are deserved and some that are undeserved. This time it was deserved," Allegri told DAZN.

"We had the strength to try to turn it around, but it didn't turn out like that. We can't let our heads drop because there's a long road ahead.

"We must congratulate Napoli. We were low on energy and were too deep for the first 20 minutes. We had good chances but every time they had a shot they could've scored.

"It is now about getting back on our feet, recovering energy and starting work again. The championship race is long so we must look forward."

Juve's run of 770 minutes without conceding in Serie A – their fifth-longest streak – was ended by Victor Osimhen early on before Khvicha Kvaratskhelia added a second.

Angel Di Maria pulled one back for Juventus before half-time, but Amir Rrahmani restored Napoli's two-goal cushion and Osimhen's second put the game out of reach.

Substitute Elif Elmas then added a fifth for Napoli, who made it four home league wins in a row against Juve for just the second time in their history.

Asked why his side crumbled so badly in the second half in Naples, Allegri said: "You don't always have to find justification.

"These goals we conceded, that wouldn't have happened had we had more energy. After the third goal, the world falls in on you.

"Osimhen had an extraordinary match and Napoli are showing they are the strongest team. Maybe in two months things will change. What is valid today is not valid tomorrow."

Napoli ended Juventus' eight-match winning run without conceding in Serie A with an emphatic 5-1 victory in Friday's top-of-the-table clash to move 10 points clear at the summit.

Juve had gone on a remarkable run of form since losing to Milan in early October, but their defence was finally breached by Victor Osimhen with 14 minutes played.

Osimhen turned provider by playing in Khvicha Kvaratskhelia for Napoli's second at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, but Angel Di Maria pulled one back before half-time.

However, Luciano Spalletti's side pulled clear through another goal from Osimhen, either side of strikes from Amir Rrahmani and Elif Elmas, to put one hand on the Scudetto.

Napoli edged in front when Wojciech Szczesny palmed Kvaratskhelia's acrobatic attempt into the path of Osimhen for a simple finish from close range.

Di Maria sent a dipping effort against the crossbar, but Kvaratskhelia doubled Napoli's lead with a composed finish after Bremer's error allowed Osimhen to play his team-mate in.

Juve gave themselves a lifeline through Di Maria's low finish past Szczesny after exchanging passes with Arkadiusz Milik, though Napoli should have cut out the danger.

Meret did brilliantly to prevent Rrahmani putting into his own net and that proved an even bigger save when the same player fired in on the half-volley from a corner.

The hosts were out of sight with 65 minutes gone as, after more sloppy play from Bremer, Kvaratskhelia and Osimhen again linked up for the latter to header across Szczesny.

Elmas, brought on at half-time for the injured Matteo Politano, added a fifth for Napoli with a shot that deflected in off Alex Sandro to round off a five-star showing.

Luciano Spalletti responded to Massimiliano Allegri's claims that Napoli are Scudetto favourites by insisting the pressure is on second-place Juventus ahead of Friday's contest.

Juve are on a remarkable run of eight straight Serie A wins without conceding – their best such run since March 2018 – heading into the game at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Napoli remain seven points clear of their opponents, however, having lost just once all season – a 1-0 defeat to Inter last week that they responded to with victory over Sampdoria.

Allegri has constantly stressed finishing in the top four is Juve's main objective for the season and said on Thursday that the title is still Napoli's to lose.

However, Spalletti does not believe that is the case and joked it is impossible for Allegri to disguise the fact his side have more to lose than Napoli.

"I understand that for Allegri it is convenient to play as supporting actor," Spalletti said at his pre-match press conference. 

"But for a Juve side that is always stuffed with champions it is impossible to hide from the role of favourites.

"Certain investments pay off only by playing for the Scudetto and winning the Champions League. It's useless putting on a hat or a fake beard. Fourth place doesn't satisfy Juve."

Spalletti is one win shy of equalling Carlo Ancelotti (275) for the most victories in Serie A since the 1983-84 season, with Allegri just behind on 273.

Napoli boast the best attack in the Italian top flight, with 39 goals in 17 matches, but they come up against the strongest defence as Juve have shipped only seven goals all term.

Asked if it will be a case of style over substance in the top-of-the-table clash, Spalletti said: "Sometimes you leave a mark more with the visible than what you bring home.

"We will do what we like and what the fans like. We had [Maurizio] Sarri here before, who won nothing but people talk only about his football and his values.

"There was also [Rafael] Benitez, who won a couple of titles and was well-spoken of but didn't impress in the same way as Sarri, so you have to be careful.

"Juventus are good at dropping down in front of the penalty area. Then there's the will of the football you want to play and the skills you think your players have.

"Then you consider whether you can like it as a spectacle beyond the wins."

Napoli are unbeaten in their past two Serie A games against Juve (W1 D1), though not since 2011 under Walter Mazzarri have they gone on a longer unbeaten run in this fixture.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri put the pressure on Napoli by insisting they are favourites to clinch the Serie A title.

Napoli are seven points clear of Juve at the summit of Serie A, and that gap would grow to 10 should Luciano Spalletti's side come out on top in Friday's clash between the top two.

While the Bianconeri have overcome a slow start to put themselves firmly in the driving seat to secure a Champions League place, Allegri looked to dispel any idea of putting up a serious Scudetto challenge against Napoli, who last won Serie A in 1990.

He said in a press conference: "Napoli are the favourites to win the title, they have 44 points and only lost a game.

"They are technically strong and coached very well. Luciano is the best when it comes to coaching and teaching and he is proving so at Napoli.

"I respect Spalletti so much, he is so funny that sometimes we clash as we did last season.

"I am also a coach, but I do this job by chance. Luciano is so, so good, he's the best when it comes to teaching football."

The trip to Naples on Friday also represents the last game of the Andrea Agnelli era at Juve.

Agnelli and the rest of Juve's directors officially resigned back in November but will only be replaced on January 18.

"There isn't much to say about Agnelli," Allegri said.

"The results and the work that Andrea Agnelli has done over the years speak for themselves.

"I thank him for giving me the opportunity to coach Juventus, for being close to me and for working with him." 

This is only the fourth time in Serie A history that Napoli face Juve while holding a lead of at least seven points, with the last such occasion coming in 2011.

Napoli have won their last three home league matches against Juve, though only once in their history have they managed to win four in a row.