Welcome to Eurosport's live coverage of the Serie A clash between Inter Milan and Novara at the San Siro!

Alvarez tries a cross into the Novara box but it's cleared away easily.

Inter have conceded eight goals in their last two matches. For the neazzurri to be quite so leaky in defence today would be quite a shock - Novara have failed to score in eight of their last 13 league games.

For their limited success this season, it's worth noting how far Novara have come. Only in 2010 did they return to Serie B, after being out of it for 33 years. They achieved promotion to Serie A on their first attempt, following a 55 year absence.

Inter happy to keep possession in the early stages, until a long ball is lumped up to Milito, but it's too high for him.

The referee gets the game underway!

The players are out at the San Siro. Gloves and polo necks and all.

Our referee this afternoon in Milan is Carmine Russo.

Current temperature in Milan? -3°C. Chilly. Players will be out on the pitch imminently. Send your comments my way via Twitter: @rich_newman

Inter are hoping to recover from a 4-0 pounding at Roma, and are without a victory in their last three league games. Before that, they'd won five Serie A matches on the bounce.

Just over 30 miles separate these two sides, but the class of players they have at their disposal is far greater. Novara, Serie A's bottom side, have won only twice all season in the league, both at home. One of those victories was over Inter, at the beginning of the season, when they won 3-1 at Stadio Silvio Piola. The biancoazzurri are seven points from safety.

Inter Milan: Julio Cesar, Zanetti, Cordoba, Lucio, Chivu, Stankovic, Cambiasso, Poli, Alvarez, Sneijder, Milito. Subs: Castellazzi, Pazzini, Forlan, Palombo, Obi, Ranocchia, Nagatomo. /// Novara: Ujkani, Lisuzzo, Centurioni, Garcia, Dellafiore, Porcari, Radovanovic, Rigoni, Gemiti, Jeda, Caracciolo. Subs: Fontana, Rubino, Gabriel Silva, Morganella, Pesce, Paci, Rinaudo.