Empoli vs. Roma Betting Tips: Returning Tammy Abraham appeals in the shots markets

There’s a feast of Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League action to look forward to this week, but before taking a deep dive into those competitions, we've provided two tips for Monday night’s Serie A clash between Jose Mourinho’s Roma and Empoli. The clash kicks-off at 7.45pm and is available to view on BT Sport 1.

Roma moved to the summit of the Serie A table after taking 10 points from their opening four Serie A matches, only to then spectacularly lose 4-0 to Udinese, which was swiftly followed by a 2-1 defeat to Ludogorets in the Europa League. Jose Mourinho will be spitting feathers at the sudden drop in performances, so you can expect a reaction of sorts on Monday. After all, should the capital club return to winning ways tonight then they’ll move to within just a point of joint-early-leaders Napoli, Atalanta, and AC Milan.

The Giallorossi face an Empoli side still looking for their first win of the season. Paolo Zanetti's side have actually only lost once in five games - on the opening weekend - but have since registered four straight draws, failing to hold onto an early lead in each of their last three games.

Empoli are priced at 4/1 to end their win drought and deliver three points for their home fans, Roma are odds-on at 8/11 to end their two-game losing run with a win, while a draw is around the 14/5 mark.

Tammy Abraham missed the mid-week trip to Bulgaria because of a shoulder injury, but should return to the starting line-up tonight. 

Only Ciro Immobile (10) and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (9) have accumulated more shots on target in Serie A this season than Abraham, who has played a game fewer than the duo. The Englishman only has one goal to his name so far - an equaliser away to Juventus - but the intent has been there with eight shots on goal from a total of 17 shots across five games.

Abraham, who bagged a brace in last season’s trip to Empoli, can once again utilise his movement and skill to torment Roma’s winless opponents who have kept just the one clean sheet in six games all competitions this season. Never shy of a shot from in-or-out of the penalty area, the ex-Chelsea striker is priced at 11/8 to have two or more shots on target at the Stadio Carlo Castellani; a bet which has landed in three of his last four games. 

Empoli may not have carved out a win from any of their six league and cup matches, but they have broken the deadlock in four of those games. They took the lead in the cup against SPAL, then their last league games against Lecce, Verona, and Salernitana - but frustratingly failed to win any.

As for Mourinho’s men, they have lost their last two games and have failed to win on the road in their last three attempts - conceding first in each. At 23/20 with UniBet, I like the look of Empoli to take advantage of any niggling complacencies in the Roma camp by scoring the first goal of the game for the fourth time in a row.