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#NapoliJuve: Five Talking Points

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#NapoliJuve: Five Talking Points
#NapoliJuve: Five Talking Points
#NapoliJuve: Five Talking Points

PIPITA THE PREDATOR

A fractured finger bone had left Bianconeri fans guessing for almost a week whether Gonzalo Higuain would even be able to play at the San Paolo.

Therefore, yesterday’s confirmation that Pipita would in fact be lining up against his former club served as a welcome boost to the Bianconeri, who had to do without the injured Mario Mandzukic, and the Argentine forward ended up stealing the show once more against the Partenopei.

Higuain’s 13th-minute strike, a true predator’s finish that ended up low past Pepe Reina into the bottom corner, was his fifth goal in as many matches he has played for Juventus against Napoli.

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Furthermore, Juve’s number nine now has six goals in his last five Serie A matches: with further big games coming up this month against Olympiakos (5 December), Inter (9 December) and Roma (23 December), Pipita is hitting form at the perfect stage of the season.

44 AND COUNTING…

Higuain’s goal also enabled the Bianconeri to set a new Serie A record of consecutive games in which they’ve scored: an extraordinary 44.

3RD STRAIGHT CLEAN SHEET

After keeping Barcelona and Crotone off the scoresheet during the previous week, Juventus recorded their third clean sheet in a row on Friday night.

The Bianconeri had not managed to leave the San Paolo without conceding for over 20 years, since March 1997.

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Higuain and Dybala: Juve’s Argentine duo linked up brilliantly for the match-winning moment at the San Paolo, but that should come as no surprise:

Seven of Paulo’s last 11 assists in Serie A have resulted in goals for Gonzalo.

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CLOSER AT THE TOP

Four points adrift of Napoli before kick-off, the Bianconeri gained important ground on their Scudetto rivals with last night’s win and now just sit a single point behind the Partenopei.

A win for Inter against Chievo on Sunday would see the Nerazzurri sit top of the Serie A standings, one point ahead of Napoli.

Crucially for Juventus, however, upcoming home matches against Inter and Roma will give Massimiliano Allegri’s men the chance to take further points off their main challengers for the league championship.

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