Cagliari defender Davide Astori has urged his team-mates to dig deep to continue their good run of results against Palermo.

The Sardinian outfit are in red-hot form having claimed five victories in their last six matches - with their only loss being a narrow 4-3 defeat to AC Milan.

Last week's 2-0 win over Juventus lifted them to seventh in the standings but Astori insists their only goal at the moment remains avoiding relegation.

"I am pleased with the performances but above all with the good results of the squad," he said. "If the defence are doing well, the credit should go to everyone, not just the defenders.

"Our aim is safety. We have 22 points, we still need 18 to get to our goal.

"We are improving because we are getting more understanding of our means."

Cagliari will be looking to end Palermo's unbeaten home record tomorrow.

The Rosanero have lost all but two of their matches on their travels but it is a different story on their own turf where they have not lost since March.

And Astori is fully aware of the tricky test that awaits Cagliari at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.

"We will find a particular atmosphere," he said. "They will want to win at any cost.

"They will feel the pressure more than us, but we should not fail: we need more points before the winter break.

"The table is good, we are having a great season."

Coach Massimiliano Allegri has bitter memories of his Palermo counterpart after losing 4-1 to Delio Rossi's Lazio side in his first Serie A match in charge last year.

Lino Marzoratti will not make the trip to Palermo while Nene and Federico Marchetti are doubtful.

Rossi has a much lengthier list of absentees.

Captain Fabio Liverani is suspended as is top goalscorer Fabrizio Miccoli while Moris Carrozzieri is still serving his ban for cocaine use.

Davide Succi and Mark Bresciano are both rated as doubtful with injuries.

However, Javier Pastore is confident they can still pick up the points tomorrow as they look to improve on their 14th place in the standings.

"Against Cagliari we hope to be able to pick up at home the three points which are very important for the table which can give us a bit of calm," he said.

"There will be significant absences but our squad is first rate and whoever steps onto the pitch will give their maximum."

Pastore has had a troubled time at Palermo since joining in the summer.

The Argentinian midfielder has been substituted 10 times in 11 starts and endured a barrage of criticism.

However, he insists he will not be put off by the boo boys.

"I'm calm," said Pastore. "If the coach wants to substitute me that's fine.

"I was also booed when I started in Argentina.

"Italian football is very different to Argentinian but both my team-mates and the coach are helping me get used to it and I hope to be able to soon return to the level I was playing at in Huracan."