Preview: Torino vs. Inter Milan - prediction, team news, lineups

Playing one day ahead of first-placed rivals AC Milan, Inter will aim to continue their brilliant run of results on the road, while Toro are desperate to end a long goal drought.

Match preview

Although they picked up just one point from their two most recent league games at San Siro - including a 2-2 draw against Bologna last time out - Inter have proved far more formidable away from home this season.

Ahead of this week's trip to Turin, the Nerazzurri have won all of their first three away matches in Serie A without conceding a single goal; scoring seven times themselves without reply - five from the irrepressible Lautaro Martinez alone.

Simone Inzaghi will soon prepare his squad for back-to-back home fixtures - against RB Salzburg on Tuesday, then Roma next weekend - but first he seeks a continuation of such superb results on the road.

Stretching back to last season, Inzaghi's side have won seven of their last eight away games, recording no fewer than seven clean sheets in the process. With another shutout on Saturday, Inter would keep their hosts goalless in five straight Serie A away matches for the first time since 1972.

Having let a two-goal lead slip to drop points just before international football intervened - when Martinez and Francesco Acerbi were on target early on, but they still failed to beat Bologna - Inter are sure to be fired up for their return to domestic duty; particularly as they now trail city rivals Milan in the standings.

The Nerazzurri will arrive in Turin with an excellent record at Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino of late, and all told, they have won seven of their last eight league meetings with Torino, averaging exactly two goals per match.

In fact, Toro have taken just a solitary point from their last four encounters with Inter on Turin turf, and their recent Serie A form has been little better.

Following a run of two draws and two losses, including Derby della Mole defeat to Juventus, coach Ivan Juric has seen his side slowly slip down the table to sit as low as 14th.

Having last scored over 270 minutes of football ago - through Duvan Zapata's late leveller against Roma - it is clear why the Granata have not sustained a promising start to the season, and they will hope their recent break from competitive action allows a reset in that regard.

Torino, who have been held by both Roma and Verona in their two most recent home games, can certainly boast defensive discipline under Juric - only three teams have more clean sheets this term - but Zapata, Antonio Sanabria and co need to up their productivity in the final third.

Since the Croatian coach took charge two years ago, Toro have kept clear of relegation trouble and regularly occupy a place inside the top half of the table; however, if they are to mount an unlikely push for Europe this year, finding more routes to goal is a must.

Torino Serie A form:

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Inter Milan Serie A form:

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Inter Milan form (all competitions):

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Team News

As Marko Arnautovic remains sidelined by injury, and Alexis Sanchez played 90 minutes in both of Chile's two World Cup qualifiers, Inter captain Lautaro Martinez should start for the visitors on Saturday.

Both 'El Toro' and France forward Marcus Thuram - who has already provided five assists in Serie A this season - featured less for their respective nations, so are set to rejoin forces up front.

Juan Cuadrado has suffered a flare-up of his Achilles problem so will not be involved this weekend, but Simone Inzaghi otherwise has a full squad to choose from. Therefore, he should name a similar starting XI to that which drew with Bologna.

Torino, meanwhile, have more absentees to concern them, as Brandon Soppy, Kofi Djidji and Alessandro Buongiorno are all unavailable; Saba Sazonov is just back in the fold following a foot injury.

In attack, last term's leading marksman Antonio Sanabria is set to stay on the bench, with Duvan Zapata being trusted to help end Toro's goal drought. However, the latter has played 483 minutes against Inter in Serie A home games without scoring once - managing just a single shot on target.

Torino possible starting lineup:

Milinkovic-Savic; Schuurs, Tameze, Rodriguez; Bellanova, Ilic, Ricci, Lazaro; Vlasic, Karamoh; Zapata

Inter Milan possible starting lineup:

Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram

We say: Torino 1-2 Inter Milan

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