Roberto Mancini won’t confirm or deny whether Mauro Icardi will be dropped when Inter visit Napoli in a Scudetto showdown.

It kicks off on Monday at 20.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.

“In these games you have to give your all, both when defending and attacking,” said the Nerazzurri Coach in his Press conference.

The last time it was a top of the table battle against Roma, Icardi was dropped, so will the same happen tomorrow?

Roberto Mancini won’t confirm or deny whether Mauro Icardi will be dropped when Inter visit Napoli in a Scudetto showdown.

It kicks off on Monday at 20.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.

“In these games you have to give your all, both when defending and attacking,” said the Nerazzurri Coach in his Press conference.

The last time it was a top of the table battle against Roma, Icardi was dropped, so will the same happen tomorrow?

“Anything is possible, but I will not say who starts. It’s only right that everyone is ready to go. Gonzalo Higuain has international experience and already played for top clubs, whereas Mauro is still young, but he too will become a great striker.

“We are top of the table and two points clear of Napoli, so this game is very important. I always said that Napoli, Roma, Juventus and Fiorentina are ready to win, as they didn’t change that much this summer. I think that will be the case until the end of the season.

“It will be a good test for us, but the result ultimately won’t change anything in our progress. My tactics? A Coach thinks of a line-up that can cause problems for their opponents. Nobody focuses only on defending, but at times you can get pushed back and be forced to defend.

“We would like to always play well and win 3-0, but that’s not easy. If you don’t defend well against the big clubs, you’ll rarely win.

“A victory would give us a confidence boost, but we are still at the start of the season. Maurizio Sarri has a pretty much confirmed starting XI and I change because I consider it the right thing to do at this moment of our process.

“I am sure that Higuain, Jose Callejon and Lorenzo Insigne will cause us problems. I’m glad at Insigne’s performances, as he’ll be important for Italy too.”

Sarri’s Napoli have been described as sparkling, whereas Inter were criticised for ‘boring’ 1-0 wins. Does that irritate Mancini?

“I don’t read the papers much. It doesn’t annoy me. Everyone has their own ideas. If we confirm our status at the top, then people will begin to fear us. I’m not even sure what ‘playing well’ means, as that is subjective. In my view the side that wins has played well.

“I don’t know Sarri very well, but he has quality as a Coach and is confirming that this season. Inter have quality too. It might be different to Napoli’s style, but we still have quality.

“Is the three-man defence an idea? Of course, it’s an idea. Who will start? Samir Handanovic. That’s all you’re getting!”

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