Aiming to reclaim their top-four spot in Serie A, Lazio will welcome rock-bottom Monza to Stadio Olimpico on Sunday.

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A goal in either half - one scored by captain Mattia Zaccagni, the other coming from top scorer Taty Castellanos - proved enough for Lazio to secure victory in Cagliari on Monday evening.

Therefore, the Rome club have won two of their last three league games, which as many wins as they had managed throughout the previous seven.

During that downturn, Marco Baroni's men also lost their final league-phase fixture in the Europa League, though they still topped the table, in addition to reaching the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.

However, Lazio have failed to win any of their last four top-flight home games, after previously posting five consecutive victories as hosts in Serie A, so Baroni will demand an end to that run on Sunday.

The last time they went five without a league win at Stadio Olimpico was back in 2016 - and given the sorry state of this week's visitors, only maximum points will do.

Unbeaten in five Serie A meetings with Monza to date, the Biancocelesti are some 29 points ahead of their next opponents in the standings.

Zaccagni scored Lazio's winner in November's reverse fixture - a 1-0 home defeat for Monza - and the Brianzoli will be up against steep odds when the clubs reconvene in Italy's capital city.

Salvatore Bocchetti's side languish at the foot of the table with a tally of just 13 points so far, leaving them eight adrift of safety.

Since the start of December, Monza have lost eight of nine games: across Europe's top five leagues only Southampton have been beaten more times during that period.

Last time out, they came away empty-handed from a vital clash with fellow strugglers Hellas Verona, as January signing Stefan Lekovic scored the own goal that ultimately decided a tense contest.

Close to being cut adrift from the cluster of relegation battlers above them, the Biancorossi's board acquired several fresh faces during the winter transfer window - albeit several key men departed.

Before heading to Rome, Monza have taken nothing from their last four away fixtures - their longest such streak since finally arriving the top flight - and even one point would be a huge bonus this weekend.

Lazio possible starting lineup:

Provedel; Marusic, Gila, Romagnoli, Tavares; Guendouzi, Rovella; Isaksen, Dia, Zaccagni; Castellanos

Monza possible starting lineup:

Pizzignacco; Lekovic, Izzo, Palacios; Pereira, Urbanski, Bianco, Kyriakopoulos; Ciurria, Mota; Ganvoula