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ROME -- In terms of salaries, Atalanta ranks 15th in Serie A. On the field, however, its been a different story for the provincial club, which has relied on homegrown talent to become the best team in the Italian league over the last seven rounds.After gaining 19 out of a possible 21 points since Sept. 26, Atalanta has rocketed up the standings to fifth place to make qualifying for Europe a distinct possibility.The Bergamo squad has won four straight and achieved three consecutive clean sheets in which it has outscored the opposition 7-0.Were on a fantastic streak but the most important thing has been the way weve been playing and that the squad and players have been improving continuously, Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said.Gasperinis job was at risk when Atalanta lost four of its five opening matches, but club president Antonio Percassis faith in the coach has proved decisive.Atalanta features nine homegrown players on its first team -- the most in Serie A -- and regularly uses them.Players like 22-year-old defenders Mattia Caldara and Andrea Conti, 21-year-old striker Andrea Petagna -- all members of Italys under-21 squad -- and 22-year-old midfielder Roberto Gagliardini, who was given his first call up to Italys senior national team this month after only nine Serie A appearances, are in the team.Then theres 19-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie, who first spent time on the youth squad after arriving in January 2015. He leads the team with four goals this season.Its a matter of pride for us and for the club, Gagliardini said of the widespread use of homegrown players.Added Caldara: Were friends before were teammates.The youth movement was on full display in Atalantas last match, a 3-0 win at Sassuolo in which Caldara and Conti scored and Gagliardini provided the assist for the opening goal by Alejandro Papu Gomez.The victory over Sassuolo was significant because it gave Atalanta bragging rights as the leagues top provincial squad.Sassuolo set a club record by finishing sixth last season to qualify for the Europa League, an achievement Atalanta would like to emulate.In its 109-year history, Atalanta has spent 56 seasons in Serie A -- more than any other club which has never won the top division.Its only major trophy was the 1963 Italian Cup, besides six Serie B titles. Atalanta also reached the Cup Winners Cup semifinals in 1988 while competing in Serie B -- one of the best performances by a non-first division club in a major UEFA competition.The club has also had its troubles, getting docked six points in 2011-12 for a widespread betting and match-fixing scandal that ended the career of club captain Cristiano Doni, who was arrested.Atalanta was also docked two points the following season but it managed to avoid relegation from Serie A on both occasions.With a population of 120,000, Bergamo is a mid-sized city that is considered part of the wider Milan metropolitan area, which made a 2-1 win over Inter Milan last month especially sweet.Gasperini, in his first season at Atalanta, was hardly given a chance at Inter, where he was fired after five winless matches in September 2011.Bergamo attracts many Milan residents for its airport that is home to low-cost airlines and the club is also a relatively low-cost affair.Atalanta, which pays its players a total of 24 million euros ($26.5 million) per season, is level on points with fourth-place Lazio, which pays its players more than twice as much.In July, Atalanta sold Marten de Roon to Middlesbrough for 14 million euros ($15 million), a year after paying Heerenveen 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million) for the Dutch midfielder. That helped Atalanta earn a 6 million euro ($6.5 million) profit in the offseason transfer market.Were enjoying the moment and it provides us with extra motivation to continue along this path, Gasperini said.Having helped launch the careers of players like Roberto Donadoni, Christian Vieri and Filippo Inzaghi -- plus current AC Milan standouts Riccardo Montolivo and Giacomo Bonaventura -- Atalanta has long been a starting spot for players who later achieved greatness.And with coaches like Marcello Lippi, Cesare Prandelli and Antonio Conte making stops in Bergamo, its also been on the road to managerial success.The clubs current fortune will be tested against Roma on Sunday and in games against Juventus and Milan -- the top three teams in the standings -- before the holiday break.Weve got a Tour de Force awaiting us until Christmas but weve got enthusiasm, Gasperini said. So lets see where it takes us.---Andrew Dampf on Twitter: www.twitter.com/asdampf Adnan Januzaj Jersey . Robinson finished with 17 points, all but two in the second half, and Lawson had 14 after halftime and finished with a game-high 11 assists as the Nuggets handed Dallas its first home loss in eight games this season. J.J. Hickson led Denver with 22, and Kenneth Faried added 10 points and 10 rebounds. Antonio Valencia Manchester United Jersey . P.A. Parenteau scored early in the third period to help the Avs edge Toronto 2-1 on Tuesday night. Cory Sarich also scored for Colorado (3-0-0), which is off to its best ever start. http://www.jerseymanchesterunitedsoccer.com/womens-lee-grant-manchester-united-jersey/ .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. Marouane Fellaini Manchester United Jersey . -- Whether Jeremy Hill deserves a prominent role in LSUs offence this early in the season is a matter for debate. Memphis Depay Jersey . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament.South Africa have made several changes for their clash with England at Twickenham on Saturday. Centre Francois Venter will make his Test debut following his good performance in the non-cap clash against the Barbarians last Saturday and will partner Damian de Allende, who will win his 21st cap for the Springboks.Injuries to Roelof Smit and a host of other flankers, as well as the unavailability of other experienced loose forwards, means Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has been forced into revamping his loose trio. The Bok coach has decided to move Pieter-Steph du Toit from second row to the side of the scrum, a position he is familiar with, as he will bring much-needed ball carrying ability and more line-out options. The experienced Willem Alberts will start on the other side of the scrum, while Warren Whiteley retains the No 8 jersey he wore throughout the Rugby Championship. Pieter-Steph du Toit will pack down on the side of the scrum Du Toits positional switch means a return to the starting team for Lood de Jager, who sat out the Barbarians fixture because of a one match suspension.In the front row, hooker Adriaan Strauss returns to action and takes over the captaincy from Patrick Lambie who led the side at Wembley. Vincent Koch will play at tighthead prop and Lourens Adriaanse moves to the bench. Daly to start for England Elliot Daly will make his first England start on Saturday against South Africa The halfback combination of Rudy Paige and Lambie are kept unchanged. Wing JP Pietersen returns to the side and will wear the No 11 jersey, the position he usually plays for his club side, Leicester Tigers.Bryan Habana has showed significant improvement this week, however he is not yet 100 per cent ready and it was decided not to risk him with two more Tests to come on the tour.Ruan Combrinck will do duty on the right wing, and Willie le Roux at full-back, which means a return to the back three that played in the three-Test series against Ireland in June. Bryan Habana misses out with a knee injury Coetzee said the number of injuries gave him the opportunity to test certain new combinations.We are going to use this tour also to test various combinations and rotate players to ensure we move in the right direction, said Coetzee. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.99. No contract. The challenge this week will definitely start up front as the English pack paved the way for their series win over the Wallabies in Australia.dddddddddddd It will be a physical challenge and the set-piece battle could prove to be the decisive.I believe we have selected the best available team for this Saturday. We have a long list of injured loose forwards, with all of Roelof Smit, Marcell Coetzee, Francois Louw, Jaco Kriel, Siya Kolisi and Sikhumbuzo Notshe injured, while a couple are also unavailable for selection. Watch this classic Baa Baas performance as they drew with South Africa at Wembley Coetzee admits a daunting task awaits his side on Saturday at Twickenham: England have a lot of belief at the moment - they have won their last nine matches since the appointment of Eddie Jones as coach.They are always formidable at Twickenham and matches involving our two countries have always delivered close fought encounters. They are an extremely well-coached side with no apparent weaknesses and their away series win in Australia proved why they are currently second in the world rankings.They are definite favourites, but we are looking forward to another huge battle against them, said Coetzee.Captain Strauss will lead the Springboks for the 10th consecutive Test match, while lock Eben Etzebeth will play in his 31st consecutive Test for the Springboks.South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Rudy Paige; 1 Tendai Mtawarira, 2 Adriaan Strauss (c), 3 Vincent Koch, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 Lood de Jager, 6 Willem Alberts, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Warren Whiteley.Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Johan Goosen, 23 Lionel Mapoe.Watch England v South Africa live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Saturday from 2pm. Catch all four of Englands Old Mutual Wealth Series fixtures for £25 with NOW TV. No contract. Also See: England v SA: Memorable matches Daly to start for England Rugby on Sky Follow @SkySportsRugby ' ' '