Xherdan Shaqiri is on the bench and could well make his debut, but Lukas Podolski starts as Inter visit Empoli.

It kicks off in Tuscany at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.

Roberto Mancini is finally starting to turn things around in the Nerazzurri camp, as they impressed in a 3-1 victory over Genoa last week.

Andrea Ranocchia and Mateo Kovacic return from suspension, though Juan Jesus and Yuto Nagatomo are still unavailable due to a ban and Asian Cup duty respectively.

Xherdan Shaqiri is on the bench and could well make his debut, but Lukas Podolski starts as Inter visit Empoli.

It kicks off in Tuscany at 17.00 GMT, click here for a match preview.

Roberto Mancini is finally starting to turn things around in the Nerazzurri camp, as they impressed in a 3-1 victory over Genoa last week.

Andrea Ranocchia and Mateo Kovacic return from suspension, though Juan Jesus and Yuto Nagatomo are still unavailable due to a ban and Asian Cup duty respectively.

Daniel Osvaldo is still frozen out and awaiting a transfer after he attempted to attack teammate Mauro Icardi on the pitch.

Kovacic is only on the bench, as Hernanes joins Palacio and Lukas Podolski in supporting Icardi.

Inter are now unbeaten in four and the 4-2-3-1 system is paying dividends, even allowing Palacio to break his goal drought.

Empoli had strung together five consecutive draws before last week’s 1-0 defeat to Sampdoria, but remain a dangerous opponent for the big clubs.

Lorenzo Tonelli returns from his ban to celebrate his birthday, though Mario Rui is now ruled out and new signing Riccardo Saponara is in the stands.

Surprisingly, young strike duo Manuel Pucciarelli and Levan Mchedlidze are picked, benching both Francesco Tavano and Massimo Maccarone.

Empoli have beaten Inter twice at the Stadio Castellani along with two draws and five losses, though their most recent encounter was in 2007-08.

Empoli: Sepe; Barba, Rugani, Tonelli, Hysaj; Vecino, Valdifiori, Croce; Verdi; Mchedlidze, Pucciarelli

Empoli bench: Pugliesi, Bassi, Laurini, Perticone, Maccarone, Signorelli, Tavano, Laxalt, Bianchetti, Zielinski

Inter: Handanovic; Campagnaro, Vidic, Ranocchia, D'Ambrosio; Guarin, Medel; Hernanes, Palacio, Podolski; Icardi

Inter bench: Carrizo, Berni, Andreolli, Kovacic, Kuzmanovic, Obi, Dodò, Mbaye, Krhin, Donkor, Shaqiri, Bonazzoli

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