Inter v Sassuolo stat attack

MILAN – Inter are back in action on Sunday, with Sassuolo the visitors to San Siro for a 18:00 CET kick-off.

Alessio Dionisi's side have taken 30 points from 25 games so far (41 goals for, 44 against) and drew 2-2 with Roma last time out. They are second behind only Inter for number of shots on goal this term.  

FORM BOOK: SAN SIRO FORTRESS, SASSUOLO VERSUS THE TOP TWO

Inter are the team with the best home record in Serie A this season, with nine wins, two draws and one defeat from 12 matches. 

Sassuolo are unbeaten in their last four league meetings with teams in the top two (W2, D2), winning both of those fixtures that have been away from home (both against AC Milan). 

However, the Neroverdi have managed just one win in their last Eight Serie A matches (W1, D4, L3).

SUSPENDED AND CLOSE TO SUSPENSION

SUSPENDED Inter: Bastoni (1), Brozovic (1) Sassuolo: Ferrari (1)

ONE BOOKING AWAY FROM SUSPENSION Inter: Lautaro Martínez, Vidal Sassuolo: Chiriches, Frattesi

HEAD TO HEADS: DZEKO SUPER SUB LAST TIME OUT

Inter and Sassuolo have faced off 17 times in Serie A, with eight Nerazzurri victories, seven for the Neroverdi and two draws. Inter haven't lost in the last six encounters (W4, D2) and have won the last three – they've never made it four.

Inter have scored at least two goals in each of their last five Serie A meetings with Sassuolo, 14 in total, having previously mustered 13 in 11 league match-ups.

When the two sides met earlier in the season, Edin Dzeko replaced Joaquin Correa in the 57th minute and equalised just 33 seconds later from Ivan Perisic's cross. Lautaro Martinez then converted from the penalty spot to complete the turnaround.

GENERAL STATS: SET-PIECE BATTLE

Inter (155) and Sassuolo (137) are the two teams who have had the most shots on target in 2021/22. 

Simone Inzaghi's side have recovered the most points from losing positions (17) while Dionisi's men have the second-best record (14). However, Sassuolo have also lost 17 points from winning positions – only Verona (20) have dropped more.

Inter are the team with the highest percentage of duels won (53%). 

Sunday will be a match-up of the team with the most goals scored from set pieces (Inter, 17) and the side that has conceded the second most from dead-ball situations (Sassuolo, 19, behind Cagliari on 20)

PLAYER FOCUS: LAUTARO DEBUT, DIMARCO CLOSE TO 100 IN SERIE A

Edin Dzeko has struck six goals against Sassuolo in Serie A – only against Atalanta and Bologna has he scored more (seven).

Lautaro Martínez made his Serie A debut against Sassuolo in August 2018 and has since found the net four times against them. Cagliari (six) are the only team he has scored more against.

Hakan Calhanoglu has already laid on eight assists in the current league campaign – just one less than his best-ever tally in a single Serie A season (nine in 2020/21 and 2019/20).

Roberto Gagliardini has scored in two of his last three Serie A appearances. He is the player who has scored the most goals in Serie A games in which his team have always won when he has found the net (16).

Federico Dimarco's next Serie A appearance will be his 100th in the Italian top flight. He made his league debut for the Nerazzurri in May 2015 against Empoli. The defender has eight league goals to his name so far, with two of those coming for Inter this season.

Maxime Lopez (498) and Marcelo Brozovic (456), who is suspended for this match, are the two players who have made the most runs with the ball in the current Serie A season.

COACHES

Simone Inzaghi has won seven of his 11 Serie A meetings with Sassuolo as a coach, drawing two and losing two.

Alessio Dionisi lost his only previous league encounter with Inter and Inzaghi in Serie A: the reverse fixture at Mapei Stadium when the Nerazzurri came from behind to win 2-1.