Inter and Parma will meet at San Siro on Saturday, October 10, as Serie A returns following the international break.Inter has taken 13 points from its opening five league matches. Parma has collected four points and begins a new chapter under Alberto Gilardino, who will take charge of his first competitive match.Verdict: Over 3.5 goalsBest odds: 24/25Bookmaker: 1xBetInterInter has made an unbeaten start to its title defense, although the results have come with some uncomfortable moments.Cristian Chivu’s team has scored freely and repeatedly found a way back into difficult games. The concern is how often those recoveries have been necessary.Inter fell two goals behind against Napoli, Udinese and Roma in its last three league matches. It recovered to beat Napoli 3-2 and Udinese 5-3 before drawing 2-2 in Rome.The club’s review of its opening fixtures illustrates how entertaining those games have been.Inter has scored 15 league goals, but it has also conceded eight. Chivu will want greater control, especially during the early stages of matches.San Siro has produced particularly open contests. Inter’s three home league results have been 4-1 against Monza, 3-2 against Napoli and 5-3 against Udinese.That attacking output makes a goals selection appealing here.Inter can threaten through combinations around the penalty area, deliveries from wide positions and midfield runners arriving behind the forwards. Parma will need to defend all three routes while finding a way to keep possession itself.Lautaro Martinez has already contributed four goals in four appearances, earning Inter’s Player of the Month award for August and September.Even if Chivu rotates after the international break, there should be enough attacking quality available to put Parma under sustained pressure.Inter Team NewsCurtis Jones is a major doubt after Inter confirmed a myofascial strain to the adductor muscles in his right thigh.His condition will be assessed over the coming days, which makes his availability for Saturday uncertain.John Stones is still working through his recovery and is not expected to feature.Hakan Calhanoglu is expected to return to contention, while Djed Spence has also moved closer to availability after training with the group.Nicolo Barella and Piotr Zielinski give Chivu further options in midfield.Lautaro’s workload following international duty could influence the attacking selection. Marcus Thuram, Ange-Yoan Bonny and Francesco Pio Esposito give Inter several possible combinations up front.That depth should allow Chivu to make changes without removing too much of the team’s scoring threat.ParmaParma travels to Milan with a new coach and several problems to address.The club appointed Alberto Gilardino after Carlos Cuesta’s departure. Gilardino now begins his competitive schedule with one of the most demanding away fixtures in Italian football.Parma did at least enter the break after a 2-1 win over Genoa. That was its first league victory of the season and should give the players something positive to build on.However, four points and four goals from five matches show that there is still considerable work to do.Parma needs to become more effective when it wins possession. Spending long periods defending at San Siro will be exhausting, so its forwards must provide an outlet and allow the midfield to move up the pitch.The opposition analysis published by Inter highlights another concern: Parma has allowed an average of 18.2 shots per league match while attempting 8.2 itself.Those figures suggest that its opponents have been able to establish sustained pressure.Gilardino may try to make the team more compact and reduce the space between defense and midfield. There is also a reasonable case for attacking quickly when Inter commits players forward.Inter’s recent defensive record should offer encouragement. Parma may not create many chances, but a well-timed counterattack could still have a major effect on the game.Parma Team NewsParma has received some encouraging news on the training ground.Enrico Delprato, Adrian Bernabe and Matija Frigan have returned to group training, improving their chances of being available.Their readiness to start will still need to be assessed.Hans Nicolussi Caviglia remains unavailable with a groin problem, while Pontus Almqvist is sidelined with a calf injury.Almqvist’s absence is a setback after his winning goal against Genoa.Davide Corvi should be in contention to start in goal. Diego Carlos and Mariano Troilo offer options in central defense, while Emanuele Valeri can provide width.Mandela Keita and Bernabe, if fit enough, could be particularly important in helping Parma retain possession under pressure.Inter vs Parma key factors to considerInter has collected 13 points from its opening five Serie A matches.Inter has scored 15 league goals and conceded eight.All three of Inter’s home league games have produced at least five goals.Four of Inter’s first five Serie A matches have finished with over 3.5 goals.Inter has kept one clean sheet in the league this season.Parma has four points and four goals from five matches.Alberto Gilardino will take charge of his first competitive match as Parma coach.Curtis Jones is a major doubt, while Parma will be without Pontus Almqvist.ConclusionInter should create plenty of chances, particularly if Parma continues to allow opponents so many attempts.The home side has several ways to score and enough attacking depth to maintain pressure after substitutions. Its defensive performances have also given opponents opportunities, which helps the case for a higher goals total.Gilardino may improve Parma’s organization, and a more cautious approach could slow the match down. That is the main concern with this selection.However, Inter’s home games have consistently produced chances at both ends. A convincing home victory or another match involving a Parma goal could both take the total beyond three.Over 3.5 goals is the best selection.Verdict: Over 3.5 goalsBest odds: 24/25Bookmaker: 1xBetThe post Prediction: Inter vs Parma appeared first on SoccerNews.