AS Roma are playing a consecutive huge game as they have been pitted against fellow league heavyweights Lazio. The game will see players from both sides clash intensely and is expected to be an eye-catching game as well.
After their hard-fought draw against second-placed team Inter Milan, Roma will be looking to build upon that by giving their best to conquer a Lazio side that are also in the running to make a strong claim in the Italian Serie A this season.
Roma coach Paulo Fonseca is expected to not make many changes to his team that faced Inter Milan as he would not want to disrupt tactics and shoot himself in the foot. He is expected to stick with the same or a very identical team that earned a well-deserved draw at home to Antonio Conte's high-flying Inter Milan side.
Pedro is now back to full fitness and is in contention to feature in this game, while Riccardo Calafiori, Antonio Mirante, and Davide Santon are all ruled out. Pau Lopez impressed between the sticks against Inter and is expected to retain his place in the starting eleven. Gianluca Mancini, Chris Smalling, and Roger Ibanez are the most likely candidates at the back.
In midfield, Karsdorp, Veretout, Crisante, and Spinazzola are the expected candidates to be given the nod to start the huge clash. And as for the selections in attack, Edin Dzeko will be the headliner. He will be joined in the attacking department by Lorenzo Pellegrini and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Pedro is almost ruled out because he needs to sit out a few games in order to regain full match fitness as the coach will not want to risk him.
Predicted Roma XI: Lopez; Mancini; Smalling; Ibanez; Veretout; Crisante; Karsdorp; Spinazzola; Pellegrini; Mkhitaryan; Dzeko.