On Saturday, second-place Napoli welcome first-place Inter Milan to Stadio San Paolo for what promises to be tight encounter between the top two sides in Serie A.
The teams are separated by just a single point in the table, although it is worth noting that Inter have a game in hand over Napoli. With third-place AC Milan level with Napoli on 52 points, the importance of Saturday’s game cannot be overstated.
Napoli head into this clash on a four-game winning streak in Serie A, having seen off Sampdoria, Bologna, Salernitana and Venezia. Better still, Luciano Spalletti’s men have also kept three clean sheets in their previous four league encounters.
Napoli currently boast the best defensive record in the division – having conceded just 16 goals in 24 outings. Napoli have lost just one of their previous seven Serie A clashes, picking up five wins and one draw along the way. When you look at the bigger picture, Napoli have only lost four of their past 33 matches in the Italian top flight.
Inter Milan they have lost just two of their 23 league games this term – registering 16 wins and five draws in the process. Having netted a whopping 54 goals this season, Simone Inzaghi’s side are the highest scorers in the Italian top tier.
Inter Milan were enjoying a 14-game unbeaten streak in Serie A, having secured 11 wins and three draws since losing to Lazio back in October. However, that run was ended by arch-rivals AC Milan last weekend, as the Rossoneri claimed a 2-1 victory in the Derby della Madonnina.
Inter Milan have avoided defeat in each of their last five meetings with Napoli in all competitions, picking up three wins and two draws. Napoli have only managed to win two of their previous 11 encounters with Inter, suffering five defeats along the way.
Napoli are currently without the injured duo of Hirving Lozano and Axel Tuanzebe. Kalidou Koulibaly could be rested on Saturday after winning AFCON with Senegal. Meanwhile, Inter Milan have four players sidelined through injury – Robin Gosens, Joaquin Correa, Felipe Caicedo and Alessandro Bastoni.
PREDICTION: WITH SO MUCH AT STAKE, I PREFER A LOW-SCORING DRAW.
