Inter Milan Vs. Genoa Prediction: Aiming At The Top Of The Standings, I Nerazzurri Must Win At The San Siro

After failing to take advantage of their rival mistakes in the hunt for the Scudetto, Inter Milan will try to take the top spot on Saturday night, February 22, when they host Genoa at the San Siro Stadium, Milan.

Juventus' defeat in Derby d'Italy cost them the top spot in Serie A, and now a former Inter player is determined to provide further damage.

Juventus' 1-0 defeat on Sunday night left Inter two points behind Napoli with 13 games remaining, as Italy's title competition enters a crucial phase.

Despite dominating the first half in Turin, with Denzel Dumfries and captain Lautaro Martinez wasting chances, the Nerazzurri finally came home empty-handed after Francisco Conceicao scored past Yann Sommer in the 74th minute.

As a result, Inter have lost two of their last three league games - as much as the defeat they suffered in the previous 54 matches - and the question arises as to whether this defending champion will need Manchester City's refresher in the summer.

From now on, Simone Inzaghi's squad still has a lot to fight for, with the Champions League last 16 match scheduled for the middle of next month, after facing former Inzaghi club Lazio, in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals.

First of all, Inter returned to duty in the league, with the target of winning three consecutive Serie A home games for the first time this season - and for the first time since last March, when they won nine games in a row on their way to the title.

Against the teams at the bottom of the table this season, the second city team has garnered 11 wins and two draws from 13 matches, while their record against Genoa is even better.

Without a league win over the Nerazzurri on 11 attempts, Genoa have at least managed to draw in three of the club's last four meetings - including a 2-2 result at Marassi in the opener of the season, when Junior Messias scored a dramatic equalizer in injury time.

Resurgence under former Inter midfielder Patrick Vieira, Gifone slowly moved away from the relegation zone after a slow start to the season, and Monday's clashes against the relegation-threate-threatened Venezia resulted in maximum points.

Top scorer Andrea Pinamonti finally broke the deadlock with less than 10 minutes remaining, before Maxwel Cornet's first goal in a Rossoblu shirt sealed the win; securing three consecutive Serie A home wins without conceding for the first time since 2010.

The success also brought Vieira's team up to 11th place, jumping over Torino, and the next target was to overtake Udinese to finish in the top half of the standings.

Since the arrival of this French coach, Genoa has recorded the most clean sheet among Serie A - seven teams in 13 matches - but they have to face their final test on Saturday.

Towards two big matches - the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, then the title-determining match against Napoli next week - Simone Inzaghi may choose to make changes, with the full squad available to her this weekend.

The injury-recovered striker, Marcus Thuram, will almost certainly be promoted to the starting XI Inter, while sluggish striker Mehdi Taremi will take to the bench.

Thuram's teammate Lautaro Martinez has failed to score in his last four league games, having scored in four of the previous five matches. 'El Toro' has also played 481 minutes in seven Serie A games against Genoa without scoring.

Meanwhile, Inter's former, Andrea Pinamonti, leads the visitors' attack, having won the most 'Player of the Match' (six) awards in the Italian major league this season - the latest after his important goal on Monday night.

Patrick Vieira had to lose Honest Ahnor (lutut), Morten Thorsby (betis), Milan Badelj, and Vitinha (both muscle injuries) due to injury, and his last absence could allow Maxwel Cornet or Caleb Ekuban to join Pinamonti.

Player Composition Forecast

Inter Milan: Sommer; Pavard, De Vrij, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Martinez, Thuram

Genoa: Leali; De Winter, Bani, Vasquez, Martin; Frendrup, Masini; Cornet, Messias, Mirzatti; Pinamonti