Inter v Liverpool: Back a World Cup winner to find the net | OneFootball

Inter v LiverpoolTuesday 09 December, 20:00Live on Amazon Prime

Inter looking strong at home and abroad

Given that Inter were smashed 5-0 by PSG in the Champions League final and then lost their inspirational coach Simone Inzaghi to Saudi football, it would have been understandable if the Nerazzurri had taken a step backwards this season. However, the hiring of former Inter player Christian Chivu as coach is working out better than many expected.

Chivu had only had a brief yet impressive spell at Parma in senior football before being named as Inzaghi's successor, and a tricky start gave his doubters early evidence. However, Inter have won 10 of their 14 Serie A matches, and in the Champions League they have won four of their five matches, with a narrow defeat at Atletico Madrid their only blemish in Europe's top competition.

While Chivu operates a similar three-centre-back system to Inzaghi, there are significant differences. Inter press more aggressively, and try to make through the lines at a higher pace.

Inter swept aside a strong Como side 4-0 on Saturday, with star strikers Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez both on target. Martinez is Inter's all-time leading scorer in the Champions League, and the World Cup winner has 11 goals in all competitions this season.

Denzel Dumfries could return from an ankle injury, but it's not clear if the rampaging wing-back would be fit enough to start. Chivu isn't expected to make many changes from the side that demolished Como.

Salah outburst has deepened Liverpool crisis

Liverpool's Premier League title defence is surely already over, with the clumsy loss of 2-0 and 3-2 leads at Elland Road resulting in a frustrating 3-3 draw at Leeds United which left the Reds 10 points off top spot. The Whites snatched a point with a stoppage-time equaliser from Ao Tanaka, but as it turned out, that wasn't the most damaging thing that happened to Liverpool on Saturday.

In the mixed zone after the game, the usually media-shy Mo Salah unleashed a startling tirade, suggesting the club are "throwing him under the bus" and accusing someone at the club of "wanting to to blame everything on him."

It's clear this outburst is down to Arne Slot's decision to bench the Egyptian international for three games running (none of which Liverpool have lost), and the truth is that Salah hasn't been anywhere near the levels that powered the Reds to the title last term. The irony is that Salah has now made it far harder for Slot to pick him, as the Dutch coach would then be accused of crumbling in the face of player power.

Liverpool have won just four of their last 15 games in all competitions, and remarkably they have lost nine of those, including a 4-1 humiliation at the hands of PSV in their last Champions League game at Anfield. Liverpool are currently a point off the top eight, which is the level required to qualify directly for the last 16.

At time of writing it was unclear whether Salah would be part of Liverpool's travelling party for this game. Hugo Ekitike is outshining club-record signing Alexander Isak in attack, so the Frenchman could keep his place up front ahead of the Swede.

Alexis Mac Allister could return after coming on as a sub at Elland Road, while Arne Slot must decide whether to replace Ibrahima Konate with Joe Gomez, after Konate made another blunder at Leeds.

Tempting to back home win, but back Lautaro instead

Inter are the firm favourites to win this at 2.2, and that feels about right given the rock-solid form of Chivu's team and Liverpool's implosion. However, I am going to instead back Lautaro Martinez to score at 2.4 - the Argentinian is in razor-sharp form, and Liverpool have managed just two clean sheets away from home all season. That guards against Liverpool somehow producing the kind of display that saw off Real Madrid and Aston Villa in successive games in November.

Martinez has four Champions League goals in four appearances this season, and if you add on last season's UCL exploits he has 13 goals in his last 18 Champions League matches.

Dimarco to give Bradley a test

One of the features of Inter over the last few years has been the willingness of wing-backs Federico Dimarco and Denzel Dumfries to charge forward and support the attack. Dyed-in-the-wool Inter fan Dimarco is likely to be running at Conor Bradley at times, and while Bradley managed to shut down Vinicius Junior earlier this season, the Northern Ireland skipper can fall foul of referees.

Bradley has picked up nine yellow cards for club and country this season, and has committed at least one foul in 16 of his 20 games for Liverpool and Northern Ireland this term.

Dimarco has been fouled at least once in eight of his last 14 games, and we can get a price of evens here on the Betfair Sportsbook for him to be fouled just once. If Carlos Augusto starts instead at left wing-back, just combine the Brazilian to be fouled with Bradley to commit two fouls or more, and you'll get a price of 6/5.