As they continue their pursuit of the league leaders in defence of the Scudetto, Inter Milan welcome lowly Udinese to San Siro on Sunday.

The third-placed Nerazzurri got back to winning ways in midweek, while their visitors endured a seventh straight winless game to slip closer to the Serie A drop zone.

Match preview

Goals from squad players Danilo D'Ambrosio and Federico Dimarco earned a much-changed Inter victory at promoted Empoli on Wednesday evening, as they recovered their composure following a loss to Lazio and last-minute heartbreak in the Derby d'Italia.

Head coach Simone Inzaghi served a touchline ban for his furious reaction to a late Juventus equaliser last weekend and opted to rotate his squad at Stadio Carlo Castellani, with his new-look side sweeping to an eighth successive victory over the Tuscan club.

Having kept their first clean sheet in away league matches this season, Inter stay within seven points of runaway pair Napoli and Milan at the summit of the Serie A standings, before a crucial few days at home and abroad.

After hosting Udinese on Sunday, the Nerazzurri will travel to Transnistria to take on Sheriff in a potentially pivotal Champions League clash, before convening with their Rossoneri rivals in the Derby di Milano just before the international break.

Inter have, though, won just twice at San Siro in the current Serie A season, so will be eager to capitalise on an ailing Udinese side's woes this weekend, particularly as they have beaten the Bianconeri in three of their last four encounters since 2019.

In fact, when the pair last met at San Siro in May, the team then managed by Antonio Conte surged to a 5-1 victory on the final day of their title-winning campaign.

With their bright start now a fast-fading memory, three consecutive defeats at the end of September have been followed by a frustrating quartet of draws for Udinese this month, after they relinquished a lead to Verona in midweek.

Luca Gotti's side were in front until the 82nd minute at the Dacia Arena, but former Bianconeri midfielder Antonin Barak levelled the match with a coolly dispatched penalty past Marco Silvestri, who only joined Udinese from the visitors during the summer.

Following last term's mid-season travails, Gotti will be all too aware of possibly getting dragged into a relegation battle as a result of such failures to press an advantage home.

They were, though, the side who benefited from a late equaliser last weekend, when Beto's last-gasp header stole a point against Atalanta - the third time they had come from behind to draw in as many outings.

They will surely need such resilience in abundance at San Siro, as though they have now won only once in their last 12 home games, their away record this term is little better - with one win on the road so far coming at the expense of struggling Spezia. The odds of adding to that tally on Sunday appear to be the longest of long shots, given Inter's immense attacking might.

Team News

Following four games without a goal, Inter will hope the renewal of Lautaro Martinez's contract this week will boost his confidence in the final third, as he teams up with top scorer Edin Dzeko in attack after the Bosnian striker was rested at Empoli.

Simone Inzaghi is also likely to bring Hakan Calhanoglu and Ivan Perisic back into the starting XI, as Roberto Gagliardini and midweek goalscorer Federico Dimarco miss out.

After Stefano Sensi recently returned from a knee problem, the champions have no injury absences to concern them, and will line up in their tried and tested 3-5-2 formation once again.

Udinese have only Ignacio Pussetto and his former Watford colleague Gerard Deulofeu sidelined this weekend, as long-term absentees Ilija Nestorovski and Mato Jajalo recently returned to the fold and will feature on the bench.

Up front, top scorer Beto should be joined by Isaac Success, who scored the Bianconeri's only goal on Wednesday, while Roberto Pereyra offers the option of playing off a lone frontman should Luca Gotti choose to bolster his side against Inter's well-oiled midfield machine.

Meanwhile, wing-back Jens Stryger Larsen will hope for a recall at the expense of either Destiny Udogie or Nahuel Molina out wide.

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:
Handanovic; Skriniar, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Brozovic, Calhanoglu, Perisic; Dzeko, Martinez

Udinese possible starting lineup:
Silvestri; Becao, Nuytinck, Samir; Stryger Larsen, Walace, Makengo, Pereyra, Udogie; Beto, Success

We say: Inter Milan 3-0 Udinese

The pace is relentless at the top of Serie A this season, so only victory will do for Inter before they contest a much-anticipated derby clash with Milan next weekend.

All three points should be safely secured without too much fuss in Sunday's early kickoff, as Udinese may be relatively well organised but lack punch in the final third.

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