Serie A leaders Inter Milan will be without Alexis Sanchez and Juan Cuadrado when they take on Lazio in Rome.
Manager Simone Inzaghi takes his side to his former club boasting a strong run of form that has seen them win seven and draw two of their last nine games.
Things have also been going well in the Champions League, with early qualification for the last 16 allowing Inzaghi to ring the changes for the midweek stalemate against Real Sociedad.
Both Sanchez and Cuadrado started that game but drop out straight away. Sanchez has been rested due to muscle fatigue but the prognosis for Cuadrado appears more serious.
The 35-year-old, a free transfer from Juventus over the summer, is reportedly set for surgery on his Achilles and is facing a lay-off measured in months rather than weeks.
Inter are already without Denzel Dumfries and Stefan de Vrij but their numbers at the back are improved by the return to fitness of Benjamin Pavard, who should rejoin the matchday squad for the first time since he picked up an injury against Atalanta six weeks ago.
Up front, Inzaghi will restore top-scorer Lautaro Martinez to the starting XI after he was kept to 25 minutes off the bench on Tuesday night.
Martinez and Marcus Thuram have formed a strong understanding together and the Frenchman believes they benefit from being on the same wavelength.
In an interview with the Serie A YouTube channel, Thuram said: “There are many things about the partnership, but what I really like most is his technique and his sense of goal.
“We complement each other well. Lautaro is a very intelligent player and I try to be very intelligent too. We are two players who respect the game and it’s easier to play with someone like that.”
Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio finished second last season but have drifted into mid-table after a disappointing sequence in the league.
They have won just one of their last five in Serie A and qualified in second place from their Champions League group despite concluding with a 2-0 loss at Atletico Madrid.
Midfielder Nicolo Rovella is hoping he can affect the result, even though he admits coming from an Inter-supporting home.
“I come from an Nerazzurri family, so my family will be there but I hope they cheer for me!” he said.
“We are a strong team and we will take the field to win. We’re only thinking about doing well on the pitch and we’re all fighting for the same objectives. We’ll see at the end of the season what we manage to achieve.”
Fulham 1-4 Wolves: Classy Cunha stuns Craven Cottage
Matheus Cunha scored two goals and assisted one as Wolves stunned Fulham with a 4-1 victory at Craven Cottage, making it back-to-back Premier League wins for the visitors.
Alex Iwobi's fantastic long-range curler put Fulham ahead in the 19th minute but Cunha – a bright spark in a so far demoralising season for Gary O'Neil's men – poked home a 31st-minute equaliser.
Cunha turned provider as Joao Gomes put Wolves ahead early in the second half, with the Brazilian duo later trading roles when Cunha added his second with an astonishing finish from the edge of the box.
Fulham were forced to finish the game with 10 men due to Joachim Andersen sustaining an injury after they had used all their substitutes, and Goncalo Guedes came off the bench to add a fourth for Wolves.
The victory lifts them outside the relegation zone on nine points, while Fulham drop two places to ninth, four adrift of the top four.
Data Debrief: Clutch Cunha ready to lead Wolves' survival push
Cunha will justifiably grab the headlines in the coming days after a superb all-round display at Craven Cottage. His opening goal calmed the visitors' nerves before the break as a deft touch and finish ensured the away side went in level.
However, his link-up play in the second half really caught the eye, with a sharp pass to tee up Gomes and a late goal that took the game away from Fulham.
A debate between which of his two goals was better underlines just how impressive he was against Marco Silva's team. He has a total of 10 direct Premier League goal contributions so far this season (seven goals, three assists), meaning he has been involved in half of Wolves' strikes.
He also has 26 goal involvements in his last 29 Premier League starts, scoring 17 and assisting nine. If Wolves are to survive, he will hold the key.
Bournemouth 1-2 Brighton: Ten-man Seagulls hold out to end Cherries' home streak
Ten-man Brighton maintained the pressure on the Premier League’s top four by holding out for a 2-1 victory over Bournemouth.
The Seagulls scored early in both halves, with goals from Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma sealing the points at the Vitality Stadium.
Just four minutes had elapsed when Joao Pedro put Fabian Hurzeler’s side in front, tucking away the rebound after Kepa Arrizabalaga could only parry Georginio Rutter's fierce drive.
The Brazilian then turned provider in the 49th minute with a delightful throughball to release Mitoma, who slotted home.
Brighton had to play the final half an hour with a numerical disadvantage after Carlos Baleba was sent off for a second bookable offence, and Bournemouth pulled one back in stoppage time through David Brooks.
Antoine Semenyo then rattled the crossbar with the final kick of the game, as the visitors just about held on to move level on points again with Chelsea and Arsenal, who they trail on goal difference.
Data Debrief: Buoyant Brighton build on momentum
Having come from behind to beat reigning champions Manchester City before the international break, Brighton built on that momentum to prevent Bournemouth from winning four successive Premier League home games for the first time in their history.
Joao Pedro played a starring role once more with another goal and assist, meaning he has now been directly involved in eight goals in his last nine league appearances.
The Seagulls have now collected 13 points since the start of October, with no other side registering more during that time.
Aston Villa 2-2 Crystal Palace: Sarr's first league goal for Eagles helps extend hosts' winless run
Ross Barkley’s late headed equaliser helped Aston Villa earn a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace at Villa Park, although their winless run now stands at four matches in the league.
Unai Emery’s side could not shake their poor form as they were forced to come from behind twice at home to an injury-hit Palace team.
Ismaila Sarr got the visitors off to a flying start with his first-ever league goal for the club on four minutes as he slotted home on the break, though Ollie Watkins brought the hosts level in the 36th minute.
Villa could have gone ahead as Youri Tielemans saw a penalty saved just before half-time, but it was Palace who took advantage through Justin Devenny. The 21-year-old put visitors back in front in first-half stoppage time.
The hosts left it late to snatch an equaliser as Barkley headed home from Tieleman's corner off the left with 13 minutes to go.
Aston Villa go seventh in the table, while Crystal Palace drop below Wolves and into the relegation zone in 18th.
Data Debrief: Sarr and Watkins lead from the front
Watkins has been directly involved in 50 goals in 80 Premier League appearances at Villa Park (35 goals, 15 assists), now the outright most of any Villa player in the competition (Gabriel Agbonlahor, 49).
At the other end, Sarr scored and assisted in a Premier League game for the second time in his career, previously doing so versus Liverpool in February 2020.
Both players led their respective sides for expected goals (xG), with Sarr accruing a total of 0.69 from the right wing, while Watkins totalled more than penalty-taker Tielemans with 1.29 xG.
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