AS Roma vs Napoli - Roma and Napoli have points to prove in top-of-table clash

Wojciech Szczesny says Roma and Napoli will both be dealing with anger issues when second meets third in Serie A on Saturday.

With table-topping Juventus seven points clear neither side need any extra motivation to put a win on the board and keep their fading Scudetto hopes alive, but recent results mean they have an added point to prove.

Roma boast a five-point cushion over their visitors but were left with bruised pride after losing the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final 2-0 to city rivals Lazio in midweek.

Napoli, meanwhile, have lost three of their last four outings, including their own cup semi 3-1 at Juventus and a setback in the league at home to Atalanta.

"I think it will be a very interesting game because it's between two teams that are angry," the Roma goalkeeper told Sky Sports Italia.

"Napoli have lost their last two games and we lost the derby, so both teams will have a massive desire to go and get the result.

"Of course it's never a good thing to lose a derby. It's a disappointing result but the good thing is we have a big game straight away. We have to focus again and prepare ourselves for Napoli.

"I believe it will come down to the quality of the two teams and their mental strength."

When the teams met at Stadio San Paolo back in game week eight, Roma came away with a 3-1 victory, set in motion by Edin Dzeko's first-half brace.

That, combined with home advantage and the points difference, suggests the deck is loaded in the favour of Luciano Spalletti's men but Szczesny is wary of the quality in the opposition ranks.

"I think Napoli play lovely football. They play good possession football, they keep the ball, they play very fast and I respect that," he said.

"But I never like to think that the opposition has more than us. We are a quality team that always goes out there to win the game and it will be the same this time round."

Napoli are the division's top scorers with 60 goals in 26 matches but their number of wins - 16 compared to Roma's 19 and Juve's 22 - is less emphatic.

Former Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has had his say on Maurizio Sarri's inconsistent outfit, praising their aesthetics but querying their stomach for the fight.

"Napoli are experiencing a slight dip, which is only physiological," Prandelli told Radio Crc.

"Napoli are an extraordinary team that probably play the best football in Europe, but they're not mature because they don't know how to handle (a full season).

"They play to put on a spectacle but find it difficult to handle because they're a young team."

Sarri will be tempted to hand striker Arkadiusz Milik his first league start since October.

Milik suffered a serious knee injury and has made a tentative return to the first XI picture this month.

He managed an hour from the start against Juve and could retain his place as he looks to locate the scoring form that saw him net seven times before injuring his ACL on duty with Poland.