The first Derby della Madonnina of the season will take place at the iconic San Siro on Sunday night (19:45 GMT), with table-toppers Inter Milan hoping to fend off city rivals AC Milan in the race for the Scudetto.
Team form
Both Milan sides have made solid starts to the season, with just two points separating them in the Serie A standings, currently in first and third place.
However, it is Inter who go into this tie with a slightly stronger hand. Cristian Chivu’s men have won eight and drawn three of their opening 11 games, leaving them equal on points with Roma (24).
They’re riding the crest of a wave at the moment as well, with three successive wins over Lazio, Verona and Fiorentina giving them confidence.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma side could pile on additional pressure, though, as they travel to mid-table Cremonese earlier in the day with the chance to open a three-point advantage.
Meanwhile, AC Milan have lost just once so far this season. But they have struggled to get a run going after winning four of their opening five games.
Since a statement win over Napoli at the end of September, I Rossoneri have drawn four and won just two of their last six games.
AC Milan might be lacking that winning momentum that Inter have ahead of this fixture, but the wins over Napoli and Roma this season prove they can get over the line when it matters.
Head-to-head
While I Nerazzurri have the more convincing current form, AC Milan have the upper hand in recent head-to-head meetings.
In the last five clashes between the two sides in all competitions, AC have won three, with the other two ending in draws.
Their most recent clashes were in the semi-finals of last season’s Coppa Italia, with the first leg ending 1-1 before AC Milan ran out 3-0 winners to book their place in the final, where they ultimately lost to Bologna.
Team news
Chivu has been handed a couple of major boosts ahead of the derby. Denzel Dumfries has reportedly received the green light to play despite returning from international break with the Netherlands early, while Henrikh Mkhitaryan has returned to training and is expected to feature for the first time since game-week eight.
Marcus Thuram returned from a hamstring injury with an appearance off the bench against Lazio just before the international break, and after missing out on a spot in the France squad, he’s set to regain his starting place for Inter.
The designated ‘home’ team aren’t the only side set to benefit from returning players. Adrien Rabiot has sat out of AC Milan’s last five games with a calf injury, but is set to be available for selection against Inter.
Key stats
Inter Milan are the top scorers in the Serie A this season, with 26 goals (2.4 goals per game on average).
On the contrary, AC Milan have one of the best defensive records, having conceded just nine times (0.8 goals per game on average).
Former AC Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu is Inter’s top scorer this season, with five goals and an assist in nine games.
Christian Pulisic remains AC Milan’s biggest threat, scoring four goals and providing two assists in seven games.
Prediction
It’s about time Inter Milan ended their winless run against their city rivals. Their attack has been impressive this season, and the return of Thuram is a significant boost, while their defence has sharpened up somewhat in recent games. Inter might just edge this fixture with a narrow 2-1 win.
