Serie A: Stats, facts, and team news ahead of matchday four

Topics: TV Schedules, Juventus, Napoli, Roma, Inter, AC Milan, Serie A

Here's all you need to know ahead of matchday four of the 2019/2020 Serie A season.

Last round saw Juventus's winning streak ended as the Bianconeri were held to a surprise scoreless stalemate with struggling Fiorentina. That has now allowed Inter, who are the only side with a perfect winning record after three games to move two points clear on top of the nascent Serie A table. In fact, Juventus come into matchday four in third place, behind the Nerazzurri, and it's surprisingly Bologna who are in second.

This isn't unusual, as smaller teams sometimes start out aggressively early on and run out of steam at some point as the 38-game campaign catches up to them and they end up playing the bigger sides. For instance, as fans saw last season, SPAL managed to surge into the top four for a bit only to slide back down the table, and so the same will certainly happen with the Rossoblu once the season fully gets underway.

Here's everything you need to know ahead of the fourth round of fixtures for the 2019/2020 Serie A season.

Team news: Who's missing out on matchday four?

Here are some of the players who won't be able to feature for their respective sides:

Juventus: Mattia Perin (Shoulder injury), Giorgio Chiellini (Knee injury), Mattia De Sciglio (Muscular injury), Douglas Costa (Muscular injury)
AC Milan: Davide Calabria (suspended), Mattia Calabria (Cruciate Ligament Rupture)
Napoli: No new injuries or suspensions
Roma: Chris Smalling (Muscular fatigue), Davide Zappacosta (Calf injury), Diego Perotti (Hamstring injury), Cengiz Ünder (Muscular injury)
Inter: No new injuries or suspensions

Stats and facts: What's at stake ahead of matchday four?

Fiorentina are without a win in their last 17 games - which is their worst run since going 21 sans a victory in 1938
Bologna have won their last eight home fixtures. Victory against Roma would match a record set back in 1941
Sampdoria are hoping to avoid losing the first four games of the season - something that's never happened in club history
Verona have never beaten Juventus on the road in Serie A (D4 L24)
Milan have failed to win their last six derby clashes with Inter (D3 L3), with their last Derby della Madonnina victory being a 3-0 result in January 2016

Talking points ahead of matchday four

Juventus to get back on track after a tough week

First was the frustrating draw with Fiorentina, and then the Bianconeri fumbled a 2-0 lead against Atletico Madrid to barely hang on for a point. Although it is still early, Juventus are not a side used to dropping points, and they have already done so in consecutive fixtures.

Fortunately, next up for Maurizio Sarri's side is a clash with Verona - who Juventus have never lost at home against. The Gialloblu will naturally play an ultra-defensive game as they attempted to do against Milan in order to frustrate the Bianconeri, but they should be able to get back on track and back to winning ways after what's been a tough week for the reigning Serie A champions.

Inter look to make their mark in Derby della Madonnina...but Milan could use this as their springboard

Meanwhile, Antonio Conte's Inter have started off well in Serie A and have opened a small gap over the chasing pack. Furthermore, Conte has his own personal record at stake here - he's never lost to Milan as a coach (six wins, three draws) and he would be loath to allow that to happen this Sunday.

The Rossoneri, however, will have other plans. Marco Giampaolo has not gotten off to the best start as the new man on the tactician's bench, and what better way to help launch the side than to end Inter's winning streak in Serie A? His own personal record against Inter is not the best - with just two wins in his last 12 meetings (one draw, nine losses) - but that could certainly change with a much needed win over the Diavolo's bitter rivals.

Milan haven't beaten Inter in Serie A in over three years (since January 2016) and will hope to avoid making it a seventh derby clash sans a victory if they want to getting closer to the nine they went without winning in the 90's.