Empoli never really recovered from a comical early own goal and set a new club record by going 16 Serie A games without victory, while Udinese turned on the style with some great goals.
Both teams felt fairly safe in mid-table, but the Tuscans have beaten the club record of 15 winless matches set from December 1998 to March 1999. Udinese wore special patches marking the 10th anniversary of the death of Piermario Morosini.
Roberto Pereyra returned from suspension, but Beto was ruled out by a thigh strain. Szymon Zurkowski was banned for the visitors, with Federico Di Francesco, Lorenzo Tonelli, Riccardo Marchizza and Nicolas Haas injured.
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It was the worst possible start for Empoli, as after just six minutes Ardian Ismajli comically shinned an attempted clearance from 12 yards on Roberto Pereyra’s cross and it looped back into his own net.
The visitors tried to fight back, Andrea La Mantia’s shot charged down by Pablo Marì, then Marco Benassi failed to finish one-on-one after springing the offside trap, firing straight at Marco Silvestri’s chest.
Makengo swept his finish just wide of the near top corner and Silvestri flew to fingertip Kristjan Asllani’s scorcher round the post.
Udinese doubled their lead with a moment of skill from Gerard Deulofeu, who curled into the far bottom corner with the right boot from the edge of the D.
Isaac Success bundled into the back of Andrea La Mantia for an entirely avoidable penalty. Andrea Pinamonti’s spot-kick was parried by Silvestri and Filippo Bandinelli scored on the rebound. However, it had to be retaken due to encroachment and this time Silvestri again got a glove to it, but the sheer power from Pinamonti took it into the net.
Udinese restored their two-goal cushion with a well-worked move, as Deulofeu duetted with Ignacio Pussetto until the Argentine was able to score from the tightest of angles.
Pussetto nearly scored at the other end too moments later, deflecting an Asllani free kick inches off target.
Lazar Samardzic made it 4-1 with a sensational bit of skill, as he shrugged off two players by rolling the ball under the sole of his boot and then smashed into the top corner from distance.
Udinese 4-1 Empoli
Ismajli og 6 (U), Deulofeu 52 (U), Pinamonti pen 70 (E), Pussetto 79 (U), Samardzic 87 (U)