AC Milan vs. Inter Milan: How the Nerazzurri Should Line Up in Serie A Game

Speculation about how Inter will line up against city rivals Milan took on a whole new level of interest when coach Walter Mazzarri was sacked during the international break and replaced with former Nerazzurri gaffer Roberto Mancini.

Just as Mazzarri seemed to be settling on his favoured starting XI in 2014-15, he was given the boot by club directors.

Now starting positions are up for grabs once more.

The first major change likely to be implemented is a switch away from Mazzarri's 3-5-2 system.

Mancini should look to play four at the back, which means a rethink all across the park.

The first dilemma facing the 49-year-old manager is which, if any, of the three regularly starting centre-backs will need to be dropped.

Juan Jesus has arguably been in the best form of the three this season, and should be safe.

Andrea Ranocchia is club captain and has been reasonably solid so far this campaign. 

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Nemanja Vidic, meanwhile, was the star signing of the summer and has bucketloads of experience at the highest level, though he has been guilty of some glaring errors in his short time in Italian football.

The most likely scenario, then, is that Vidic is dropped to the bench and Ranocchia and Jesus occupy the centre-back roles against Milan.

Dodo has been in excellent form and is a certain starter on the left. If Mancini does not want to drop Vidic, he could opt to move Jesus to the left side of defence and play Dodo as a winger.

There are a number of options available at right-back, but with Danilo D'Ambrosio injured, Yuto Nagatomo will likely get the nod.

In midfield, Mancini could have used the fire and defensive toil of Gary Medel, but the Chilean is suspended.

Yann M'Vila has not been entirely convincing in blue and black, but as this is a derby and some sort of solidity is needed in the centre of the pitch, he may edge out one of the more attack-minded midfielders.

The creative players have all had up-and-down campaigns, so it may depend on training ground form which of Hernanes, Fredy Guarin, Mateo Kovacic or Zdravko Kuzmanovic starts the game.

Up front, Mauro Icardi should be a certainty, with competition between the now-fit Dani Osvaldo and the goalless Rodrigo Palacio for the second forward spot.

Mancini has not had much time to work with the current squad of players, so too much of a conclusion should not be drawn from the XI he selects to face Milan.

It will be interesting to see what he comes up with, though.

Possible Inter starting XI:

Samir Handanovic, Yuto Nagatomo, Andrea Ranocchia, Nemanja Vidic, Juan Jesus, Fredy Guarin, Yann M'Vila, Hernanes, Dodo, Dani Osvaldo, Mauro Icardi.