Title rivals Napoli and Juve look ahead to crunch match

(Reuters) - Serie A title rivals Napoli and Juventus extended their winning runs on Sunday but something must give next weekend when the pair meet in Turin in a much-anticipated showdown.

In what increasingly looks like a two-horse title race, Napoli beat Carpi 1-0 for a club-record eighth consecutive league win, while Juve extended their own record winning streak to 14 games with a 2-0 victory over struggling Frosinone.

Ahead of the meeting in Turin on Saturday, Napoli lead the table on 56 points, with Juventus hot on their heels on 54, eight points clear of third-place Fiorentina.

“It’ll be an excellent game," Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri told Mediaset Premium. "It certainly won’t decide the Scudetto, but we’ll be ready."

Juve are eyeing a fifth straight title, having fought their way back into the race after being 11 points off the pace on Oct. 31 and taking one point from their first three matches.

By contrast, Napoli are aiming for a first championship in 26 years since a Diego Maradona-inspired team triumphed in 1990.

“I can only compliment (Napoli coach) Maurizio Sarri, because he’s having a great campaign," Allegri added. "It has been many years since Napoli were top of the table like this."

Maradona's Argentine compatriot Gonazalo Higuain, whose 24 goals this season have been instrumental in Napoli's form, is not getting carried away ahead of the high-profile clash.

“It's not the most important game of the year," he told Mediaset Premium, "it's just another match in this competition. We've got to stay calm."

Napoli midfielder Marek Hamsik added: "We'll be up for a great game. It's a knockout match. We're going for the win."

"I want to go there to play," Sarri was quoted as saying by La Gazzetta dello Sport. "They will be stronger than us but we have to have the nerve to go to the stadium and play football."

(Writing by Ed Dove; Editing by Ken Ferris)