(Reuters) - All eyes in Serie A will be on the high-stakes derby showdown between AC Milan and Inter this Sunday with the spotlight on Milan's manager Paulo Fonseca amid growing scrutiny over his team's performance.
Milan, fresh from their first win of the season -- a commanding 4-0 victory at home against bottom-side Venezia --sit 10th in the Serie A standings, trailing third-placed Inter by three points.
However, concerns about the 51-year-old Portuguese coach's leadership have intensified following a disappointing 3-1 Champions League defeat to Liverpool at the San Siro on Tuesday.
Daniele De Rossi's AS Roma exit on Wednesday marked the season's first managerial departure and many believe that Milan's board may not hesitate to make a similar decision if results do not improve swiftly.
Milan's midfield struggled against Liverpool, failing to contain repeated attacks while showing an inability to adapt tactically. Christian Pulisic, who scored Milan's only goal, was a stand-out performer in an otherwise underwhelming team display.
"It’s a difficult start to the season for us. We are not happy and we need to change things," Pulisic remarked to Sky Sports Italy.
JUVE STUTTER
The weekend’s second marquee clash features Napoli, managed by Antonio Conte, against Thiago Motta's Juventus at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
Both teams have made strong starts to the season, but Juve's momentum appears to be stuttering following two consecutive goalless draws in the league and Motta may be concerned that his new project is losing traction, as his side struggles to find the back of the net.
Conte's Napoli have won three straight games and with no European commitments, boast fresher legs.
Romelu Lukaku, now Napoli's main striker, has found the net in the last two matches and provided two assists, suggesting the team has shifted from relying on the departed Victor Osimhen's finesse to harnessing Lukaku's physical prowess.
For Juve, the potential return of Arkadiusz Milik could bolster their attack alongside Dusan Vlahovic although both Weston McKennie and Nicolas Gonzalez were impressive in the 3-1 win at home against PSV Eindhoven in Champions League on Tuesday.
Few anticipated Udinese to top the Serie A table after four rounds, yet under new coach Kosta Runjaic, they have amassed 10 points and visit a Roma side still searching for their first victory on Sunday.
On Wednesday, Roma announced that Ivan Juric, the former Torino coach, would assume the manager's role for the capital club for the remainder of the season.
Runjaic said it was important to accumulate points early in the season before opponents can adapt.
"It’s crucial to pick up as many points as possible now. The keys are always the connection between different departments on the pitch and team spirit," Runjaic said after they beat Parma 3-2 on Monday.
How long Udinese's impressive form can last remains uncertain, however, Runjaic has moulded Florian Thauvin and Lorenzo Lucca into a formidable forward partnership, with the pair having already netted five goals in Serie A.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis)
