Rome: Led by the Milan derby, each of the top six teams in the Serie A are in head-to-head matchups this weekend.
Having moved into first place for the first time in more than two years, AC Milan faces five-time defending champion Inter Milan, which has slipped to fourth; second-place Lazio hosts third-place Napoli; and fifth-place Juventus meets sixth-place AS Roma, which has surged up the standings after failing to win its opening four matches.
Milan leads with 23 points, Lazio is next with 22, Napoli has 21, Inter 20, Juve 19 and Roma 18.
For the San Siro match on Sunday, both sides have injury problems. Inter has lost center back Walter Samuel for the season and is also without right back Maicon, while Milan strikers Alexandre Pato and Filippo Inzaghi were both injured in Wednesday's 3-1 win over Palermo.
Pato has a left thigh muscle injury and Inzaghi twisted his left knee.
Also, Milan's midfield maestro Andrea Pirlo has an injured right thigh and is questionable, while Inter is hoping that Wesley Sneijder returns after passing out at halftime of Inter's 1-1 draw with Brescia last weekend — after which the Netherlands playmaker was diagnosed with anemia.
Without Pato and Inzaghi, Milan can rely on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robinho and Ronaldinho in attack.
"Everything feels good right now but we can't let our guard down, especially with those key injuries," said Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri.
Diego Milito hit the post and scored Inter's only goal in a 1-1 draw at Lecce on Wednesday, the third successive match without a win for the European champion, a streak that began with a 3-1 loss at Tottenham in the Champions League.
"I want and I expect more from my players," Inter manager Rafa Benitez said. "This is a very delicate situation and now we've got the derby."
It will be the first Milan derby for both Allegri and Benitez.
Lazio is also struggling, having given up the lead following consecutive losses to Roma and newly promoted Cesena.
Lazio rested Brazilian playmaker Hernanes against Cesena and the closest the Roman club came to scoring was a shot from Pasquale Foggia off the crossbar.
Foggia also hit the woodwork against Roma.
"It's an unlucky stretch and it hasn't gone down well, but we're moving on with our goal of finishing in the top six to play in Europe next season," Lazio manager Edy Reja said.
Juventus has found a reliable striker in Fabio Quagliarella, who has six goals thus far, but is sorely missing Serbia winger Milos Krasic, who is out for three more weeks with an injury.
Roma, which rested Mirko Vucinic in Wednesday's 3-2 win over Fiorentina, enters Saturday's match with three straight victories.
"We've got to keep our feet on the ground and do our job," said Roma president Rosella Sensi. "It's nice that the league is well balanced. In the past several years it was always Inter, but now we're getting back into the hunt."
Also this weekend, it's: Fiorentina vs. Cesena; Bari vs. Parma; Bologna vs. Brescia; Cagliari vs. Genoa; Palermo vs. Catania; Sampdoria vs. Chievo Verona; and Udinese vs. Lecce.
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