(Reuters) - This weekend's Derby d'Italia may not decide who wins the Serie A title, but defeat for Juventus would put Inter Milan firmly in the driving seat.
The top two meet at the San Siro on Sunday, with Inter just one point ahead in the standings, but they do have a game in hand and a win over Juve would give them a healthy advantage at this stage of the season.
Juventus slipped up last weekend with a 1-1 draw at home to struggling Empoli, which allowed Inter take back top spot after their 1-0 win away to Fiorentina.
When the sides met in November, Dusan Vlahovic and Lautaro Martinez were the scorers in the 1-1 draw, and the two strikers come into this game in top form, with both finding the target last weekend.
Vlahovic has six goals in the last four league games for Juventus, with 12 Serie A goals this season, while Martinez has six in his last five in Serie A, and the Inter forward leads the scoring charts with 19 goals in his 19 games.
Inter's goal threat is much greater, scoring 50 in the league compared to 36 for Juventus. Forward Marcus Thuram has eight goals, with midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu netting nine times, and he returns for this one after missing the Florence trip through suspension.
Federico Chiesa has been struggling with injuries of late, and missed four of Juve's last six league games, but his return to training this week means he is likely to at least take his place on the bench, but Arkadiusz Milik is suspended.
Back in September, Juventus lost at Sassuolo and four days later Inter were defeated at home by the same side, and since then both clubs have gone undefeated in the league.
A second defeat for either team on Sunday won't put an end to any title hopes just yet, but a loss could prove much more costly for Juventus.
AC Milan's four-game winning run came to an end last weekend in a 2-2 draw with Bologna, leaving them eight points behind Inter, and they travel to face Frosinone on Saturday.
Defending champions Napoli are out of the title race this season, down in ninth place, and they host relegation battling Hellas Verona on Sunday.
Napoli are still in the battle for fourth place, a fight which involves at least five other clubs. Atalanta took over fourth spot last weekend and on Sunday they welcome a Lazio side who are unbeaten in five and are two points behind in sixth.
AS Roma, who have won their two games since Daniele De Rossi took over from Jose Mourinho, are in fifth place just one point behind Atalanta, and they host third from bottom Cagliari on Monday.
De Rossi will come up against Claudio Ranieri, his former manager at Roma during his playing days at the club where Ranieri also began his playing career.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
