The San Paolo will play host to the-top-of-the-table clash between Napoli and Inter on Monday evening, as Maurizio Sarri’s free-flowing side will look to do what few have managed this season: penetrate Inter’s resilient defence.
Napoli haven’t tasted defeat since the opening day of the season and have won five of their last six league games and will be looking to draw on their incredible home form against Inter to leapfrog Roberto Mancini’s side into first place. In fact, Inter haven’t managed to record a win in Naples since October 1997 and they’ve lost on five visits there.
However, they are perhaps in the best shape they’ve been in since Jose Mourinho guided them to a league and European treble in 2010. If anyone can put a stop to Gonzalo Higuain’s formidable scoring run (10 goals in 13 league appearances this season), then you sense it would be Inter, who boast one of meanest backlines across Europe’s top five leagues this season (7 goals conceded).
From Inter’s nine league wins this season, seven of those have been 1-0, but they may have to be more adventurous in this match if they are pull of an historic result. Even though Napoli’s creative frontline has courted much attention this season, it shouldn’t be overlooked that they’ve also struck a fine balance in defence too, having only conceded eight league goals thus far.
It is therefore unsurprising that they dominate the combined WhoScored XI, with the likes of Higuain and Lorenzo Insigne leading the line. Perhaps one of the underrated stars of the Serie A season, however, has been Napoli’s midfield enforcer, Allan.
It may have been one of the most drawn out transfers of the summer, but Napoli will contest it has been worth the wait as he has provided them with the balance between midfield and attack that has enabled the likes of Insigne and Higuain to carry out their best work in the final third.
Before joining Napoli, Allan had only scored one goal in 104 league appearances spread over three campaigns with rivals Udinese, however he already has three this term in just 12 matches. While he has managed to add goals to his performances, he is still carrying out the defensive side to his game with aplomb, with only Christian Maggio averaging more tackles per game (3.3) for Napoli in Serie A than Allan (3).
