Inter remain at the summit of Serie A after a 2-0 win at Venezia on Wednesday, though the performance offered little comfort for Cristian Chivu. Both goals were own goals, and Chivu admitted afterwards that he would have changed almost the entire starting XI at half-time. The result, grinding as it was, keeps Inter level on 25 points with Lazio after nine games, maintaining the pressure at the top of the table.

The win came with heavy rotation, as Chivu rested key players ahead of a demanding run of fixtures. Nicolo Barella, Hakan Calhanoglu and Manuel Akanji all started on the bench, while Pio Esposito missed out through illness. Thuram, increasingly the focal point of Inter's attack in the absence of the injured Lautaro Martinez, started and again showed his importance to the side. Federico Dimarco, meanwhile, continues to underwhelm compared to his form last season, raising questions about both his fitness and his contract renewal talks.

The next test is the Derby della Madonnina at San Siro on Saturday, 31 October, against AC Milan. Ruben Amorim's side are dealing with an injury list of their own, with doubts over Mario Gila, Adrien Rabiot and Diego Moreira. For Inter, the derby represents a chance to make a genuine statement in the title race, provided Chivu can restore his first-choice lineup after a week of careful squad management.