Palermo vs. Inter Milan Preview: Chance at the top spot again

Match Facts:

Date: Saturday, October 24, 2015

Time: 2:45pm ET/ 20:45 CET

Venue: Stadio Renzo Barbera; Palermo, Italy

Now that the absolutely pointless friendly is over, Inter can get back down to business in Serie A. This weekend the team travels down to Sicily to take on Palermo. After two consecutive draws against Sampdoria and Juventus, a win is very important to help the side get back on track. As further incentive, 3 points would put Mancini's side back at the top of the Serie A table until Sunday when current league leaders Fiorentina take on Roma (who are ahead of Inter based on goal difference).

After getting a victory, improving Inter's goal difference will be the second priority on Mancini's mind. In seasons past the problem has been a leaky (and sometimes disturbingly comical) defense, but right now the issues are on the other side of the pitch. In the 8 games of the season so far, the team has scored more than one goal in only one match (the 2-1 victory over Carpi). The attack needs to start flowing again and hopefully this will be the game where it begins.

In terms of injuries and suspensions both sides could have considerably worse situations to deal with. Palermo are missing out on the services of Francesco Bolzoni, Michel Morganella, and Uros Djurdjevic. Besides the long-term absence of Vidic, Mancini has pretty much all of his injured players back. Though Dodo was not called up in the Palermo match squad, he got some minutes in the friendly against Milan to show he is returning back to match fitness. Ljajic is also in the squad, though there have been a few reports suggesting he might be carrying a small knock.

In an attempt to help with the team's issues of creativity and goalscoring, Gazzetta reports that Mancini might be switching up formations to one fans have been calling for, the 4231. Biabiany would take a wide role while Perisic finally returned to his natural role on the other wing with Jovetic behind Icardi. This formation would theoretically allow for more attacking width while allowing for the more creative attackers to play in their natural positions.

This is a winnable match for Inter, so let's hope that the players put in the necessary shift in order to pick up the three points. Hopefully they will score a couple of goals in the process as well.

Projected Starting XIs

Palermo: Sorrentino, Struna, Gonzalez, Andelkovic, Rispoli, Rigoni, Maresca, Jajalo, Lazaar, Vazquez, Giardino

Inter: Handanovic; Santon, Miranda, Murillo, Juan Jesus; Medel, Kondogbia; Perisic, Jovetic, Biabiany,  Icardi.