Milan, Italy (My Sportsbook) - Red-hot Sampdoria faces a tough test Sunday as it plays at the only unbeaten team remaining in Serie A, Inter Milan.

All of the Italian clubs' depth will be tested, as each will have just two days rest after Thursday's full slate.

Sampdoria has won three straight matches, and is unbeaten in its last five while outscoring its opponents 9-2. The streak has propelled Sampdoria to fifth in the table, 13 points behind leaders Juventus.

Inter is unbeaten but only fourth in the table, as it has tied 12 of its 17 matches. However, the Nerazzurri are coming off a 2-0 win over Livorno on Thursday.

Sampdoria posted an impressive 2-0 win over third-place Udinese on Thursday, and will need a similar defensive effort against Inter. Walter Novellino's team boasts one of the league's best defenses, as it has allowed just 12 goals in 17 matches. But Inter leads the league with 35 goals scored, including 14 by Brazilian superstar Adriano.

"(Sampdoria) is doing well and their position in the table is proof of this," Inter midfielder Esteban Cambiasso said. "We must have the usual desire to win and the right aggression. If we do all this well we can win three points."

Juventus' lead at the top of the table was slashed to just two points Thursday after a disappointing draw at lowly Parma. Juve will attempt to recover when it hosts Livorno on Sunday.

"In soccer, drawing a match that you were supposed to win is part of the game," Juve coach Fabio Capello explained.

The club will once again be without star striker David Trezeguet, although the Frenchman could make his return from a shoulder injury next week.

Livorno, currently languishing in the middle of the table, will be without leading scorer Cristiano Lucarelli (10 goals) due to suspension.

Second-place AC Milan, meanwhile, is hot on the heels of Juventus after Thursday's 5-2 thrashing of Lecce. The Rossoneri play at seventh-place Palermo Sunday and are piping hot, having won six of their last seven matches.

Fabio Capello will be without Alessandro Nesta for the contest, as the midfielder is suspended after picking up a red card against Lecce, while Palermo's Simone Barone is also banned.

An AC Milan win combined with a Juve loss would send the defending champions into first place for the first time all season.

"We have to play our games, looking only at ourselves, without thinking too much about what Juve do or say," said AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso.

In other Serie A action on Sunday, Lazio will try to make it two wins a row under new coach Giuseppe Papadopulo against Fiorentina, Udinese will try to bounce back from the Sampdoria loss when it hosts Cagliari, and Roma, which lost to Lazio on Thursday, hosts last-place Atalanta -- which is coming off its first win of the season.

SERIE A FIXTURES:

SUNDAY:

Bologna - Chievo

Fiorentina - Lazio

Inter Milan - Sampdoria

Juventus - Livorno

Lecce - Reggina

Messina - Brescia

Palermo - AC Milan

Roma - Atalanta

Siena - Parma

Udinese - Cagliari