Roma coach Claudio Ranieri has warned his players that Livorno will raise their game when the two sides clash on Sunday.

The visitors lie at the foot of the Serie A table after losing five of their eight games.

That prompted this week's dismissal of Gennaro Ruotolo, with Serse Cosmi tasked with turning around the fortunes of the Leghorn-based outfit.

Ranieri, whose own side have endured a less than auspicious start to the campaign, knows this weekend's opponents will be no pushovers.

"Livorno have doubts about their strength and they want to raise their confidence," he said.

"They have a new coach and it'll be tough, but we need to play like we know, with a strong desire to do our best to get through this delicate situation caused by certain injuries."

The Giallorossi are still without captain Francesco Totti, out with a knee injury.

Totti, who is Roma's top scorer with five goals struck this campaign, missed last weekend's 2-1 defeat at AC Milan and the 1-1 draw at Fulham in midweek in the Europa League Group E.

Roma fans will have to play the waiting game to see Totti back in action with the player set to undergo tests this weekend to confirm if he will need to undergo surgery to repair his meniscus.

In the meantime, the Giallorossi lie in 11th place and could do with a win to stay in touch with the sides at the top of the table.

Roma are eight points behind Serie A leaders Inter Milan.

The visitors make the journey to the Italian capital looking to spark their season into life.

The Amaranto, who gained promotion to the top flight this summer, mustered just three points of a possible 24 under Ruotolo.

Cosmi is delighted to be back in the top flight after a three-year absence.

"I have to thanks Livorno president Aldo Spinelli," he said. "For me this is a liberation to be back coaching in Italy's top flight.

"It's the same for my wife as she couldn't put up any longer with me being at home all the time."

Cosmi is determined to meet the challenge of helping Livorno avoid the drop.

"I hope to transmit immediately to the team some aspects of my character such as pride and self-esteem," Cosmi said.

"I want my team to be able to play anywhere and against anyone with their heads held high.

"We are only eight games into the season and I do not believe that Livorno are worse than other teams."

Livorno have the worst striking force in the competition with two goals scored so far.

The consolation for Cosmi is that Roma have one of the weakest backlines in Serie A, having given away a whopping 15 goals.

"My teams have always done well against Roma," said Cosmi. "For example, Perugia and Udinese took positive results at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma."