Gonzalo Higuain has failed to recover from his thigh injury in time to start for Napoli in their top-of-the-table Serie A clash against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Argentine striker is not yet fully fit and has reportedly asked to only be included among the substitutes for second-place Napoli's match with the league leaders, who have won all seven of their opening games.

Goran Pandev again starts up front in Higuain's absence, and is joined in the visiting XI by Christian Maggio, who returns after a month on the sidelines.

Lorenzo Insigne is recalled after being benched prior to the international break, with Gokhan Inler and Giandomenico Mesto each dropping deeper to accommodate the forward's inclusion.

Long-serving Roma captain Francesco Totti has shaken off a knock to skipper the hosts, but Federico Balzaretti misses out through suspension, and is replaced by Dodo.

Douglas Maicon returns from injury to play at right-back, while goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis faces his former club for the first time since leaving them for Roma in the summer.

Roma: De Sanctis; Maicon, Benatia, Castan, Dodo; Pjanic, De Rossi, Strootman; Florenzi, Totti, Gervinho

Napoli: Reina; Maggio, Albiol, Britos, Mesto; Inler, Behrami; Callejon, Hamsik, Insigne; Pandev

Written by
Joe Fish