Massimiliano Allegri's Napoli are in trouble. Seven points from five Serie A games, a record that includes two defeats, leaves them ninth in the table and marks their worst start to a season since 2015/16. The draw at Fiorentina last weekend, a 1-1 result at the Franchi, offered little comfort after the brief relief of beating Bologna the week before. Allegri has yet to find consistency in either performance or result, and the squad still lacks a clear identity.

The injury list has made his task harder. Key players including Scott McTominay, Frank Anguissa, Alisson Santos, Alex Meret, and Alessandro Buongiorno have all missed time, stripping the squad of experience and balance at a critical early stage of the campaign. Anguissa's situation carries an extra edge, with his contract renewal unsigned and a potential January exit now a real possibility.

Amid the difficulties, young winger Costantino Favasuli has been a rare bright spot. The former Catanzaro player has made an immediate impression since arriving, contributing an assist in the Bologna win and drawing praise for his energy and directness. His emergence gives Allegri a tactical option, potentially enabling a shift to a 3-5-2 shape the manager has favoured throughout his career.

Napoli host Frosinone on October 10, and with the squad still short of full strength, that fixture arrives as an early test of whether this side can begin to find its footing.