InterForm guide
Inter top Serie A with 19 points from seven games, level with Lazio. They have six wins and a draw, with 21 goals scored. Their games have been wide open: every match since the start of September had three or more goals, including 5-3 against Udinese, 2-2 at Roma and 3-1 at Bologna on Saturday. Europe has gone badly so far. They lost 2-1 at Real Madrid and then 4-3 at home to Club Brugge last week, so they have no points and need a win.
Shakhtar top the Ukrainian league with 24 points from nine games, five clear of Dynamo Kyiv (who have a game in hand), with 20 goals scored and only 5 conceded. They come in on a five-game winning run that includes a 3-1 win over AEK Athens in the Champions League last week. They also drew 1-1 at PSV, so they have four points. All eight of their recent games had at least two goals.
Head-to-head
Inter are unbeaten in five meetings. They won 5-0 in the 2020 Europa League semi-final and 2-0 at home in 2021. The other three meetings, all in the Champions League, ended 0-0. That is the main warning sign for the goals bet, although those games were five years ago.
Team news
Inter are without forward Martínez, plus Pavard, Stones and Jones. Shakhtar have no reported absences.
Our prediction and why
We take Inter or draw (1X). Inter lead Serie A, have won three of their last four home games, and Shakhtar have never beaten them. Inter's surprise home defeat by Brugge is why we cover the draw instead of backing a straight home win.
Other bets to consider
Over 1.5 goals is our second pick. Inter have had at least three goals in every game since the start of September, and Shakhtar score regularly. The three past 0-0 draws keep this a little behind our main tip.