Udinese-Inter: 0-0 - Serie A 2020/2021. Final result and commentary from the game

Where the match is played:
Stadium: Dacia Arena
City: Udine
Capacity for: 25144 people17:31

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2020-21 Serie A season as Inter look to keep up their pursuit of the Scudetto against Udinese at Stadio Friuli.17:31

That shock defeat to Sampdoria is well in the rearview for Antonio Conte now - and last time out, victory over champions Juventus further underlined their credentials this term. They sit three points behind neighbours Milan in the title race.17:33

Luca Gotti though would love to hand a blow to their ambitions today, particularly given that his own side sit on the cusp of a relegation battle. He'll be keen to nab three shock points to boost the hosts' own prospects.17:36

Former Manchester United duo Romelu Lukaku and Ashley Young both gets starts today for the visitors, but Christian Eriksen is forced to settle for the bench again. Walace meanwhile makes Udinese's bench, but the Brazilian is not fit to start from the off.17:40

UDINESE (3-5-1-1): Juan Musso; Rodrigo Becao, Kevin Bonifazi, Samir; Jens Stryger Larsen, Rodrigo De Paul, Tolgay Arslan, Roberto Pereyra, Marvin Zeegelaar; Gerard Deulofeu; Kevin Lasagna.17:40

Subs: Thomas Ouwejan, Jean-Victor Makengo, Walace, Nahuel Molina, Bram Nuytinck, Petar Mican, Ilija Nestorovski, Manuel Gasparini, Rolando Mandragora, Sebastien De Maio, Simone Scuffet.17:40

INTER (3-5-2): Samir Handanovic; Milan Skriniar, Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni; Achraf Hakimi, Nicolo Barella, Marcelo Brozovic, Arturo Vidal, Ashley Young; Romelu Lukaku, Lautaro Martinez.17:41

Subs: Roberto Gagliardini, Alexis Sanchez, Aleksandar Kolarov, Stefano Sensi, Andrea Ranocchia, Ivan Perisic, Christian Eriksen, Daniele Padelli, Matteo Darmian, Andrei Radu, Andrea Pinamonti.17:41

With just one point from their last seven home games with Inter, history is against Udinese today. They'll be delighted to ensure it's not one point in eight such encounters.17:48

Three points aren't the only things at stake for Inter today; they'll be hoping to come through unscathed ahead of Tuesday's Coppa Italia clash with Milan. That quarter-final could put them one step closer to silverware.17:56

The teams are out at Stadio Friuli and we are moments away from kick-off.17:59

We are underway in this Serie A clash between Udinese and Inter!18:02

This could very well become a forward exercise for the visitors today, if the hosts don't show their mettle - but so far, it is Udinese who look the more threatening, pushing down that left wing,18:07

An early concern for the hosts as they draw a free-kick 30 yards out from the Inter goal, with Lasagna limping after an industrious challenge. Losing the striker early would be a blow.18:07

Bastoni sees away the danger of the set-piece for a corner and Inter repel that without too much difficulty too. Udinese remain camped in the final third however, harrying the visitors in defence.18:09

Lautaro has the ball in the net for Inter! But the flag is up and his finish won't stand after he drifted too far ahead of the defence. That's a concern for Udinese, almost crumbling with the visitors' first true attack.18:16

Arslan has a particularly aggressive nibble at Vidal as he moves forward and picks up the first booking of the game. Inter will have a free-kick from 25 yards out.18:13

Inter slam the free-kick into the defensive wall and Udinese hold firm as they push play back to halfway. An early test, repelled by the hosts.18:14

A flurry of rain has spotted the stadium across these opening exchanges and, while it isn't too noticeable, conditions underfoot are a little greasy. Lasagna pops a shot over the crossbar from distance, ambitiously overcooked.18:16

Inter are finding some enjoyable early purchase making their movements down the right edge today, looking to feed Lukaku and Lautaro up front. They are hitting on a few concerning gaps so far.18:20

Just the three clean chances so far in these opening exchanges. Udinese are holding out firmly enough, but there remains a long way to go in this game.18:23

That being said, the hosts are yet to truly test their former goalkeeper Handanovic yet either. It will be interesting to see just how they plan to test the veteran shotstopper at the back.18:23

Like that! Stryger gets onto the end of a looping cross and slams a header just over the crossbar, catching out Inter's defence in a state of disarray. That was close to an opener for Udinese.18:25

Lautaro! Now it is some heroics from Musso, after his own defence leaves him hanging. The keeper roles the ball out to a defender, who promptly puts the ball to the Inter striker, forcing a desperate parry from the goalkeeper.18:25

De Paul is felled close to the lip of the Inter box but the referee is not having anything of it. The visitors force the ball back to the centre of the field.18:32

Barella with the volley! The midfielder catches a flying ball on the edge of the Udinese box and leathers it just past the left post, forcing an impressive dive out of Musso.18:32

Barella strokes another promising delivery into the box now but Musso has this one comfortably covered, making a straight take under pressure from the Inter attackers and his own defenders.18:34

Here's an unexpectedly early change from the hosts; Arslan is off and Walace is on. The former gets a hug from his manager as he leaves.18:36

Udinese will be delighted to have restricted Inter from crafting too many slam dunk opportunities so far, and to have held them off on the occasion where they have let them in. Food for thought for Antonio Conte.18:40

Samir picks up a booking now after scything down an Inter counter-attack. He'll have to watch himself, he's had a few dangerous nibbles so far.18:42

Vidal sees a shot deflected through a crowded box, almost wrong-footing Musso. The keeper gets down to claim it as it skitters towards the left post.18:42

Young volleys a lob shot in now and Musso again proves more than equal to the task. The ex-Racing man won his first Argentina cap in 2019 but is yet to feature since for the national side.18:46

We're going to have one added minute before the break.18:48

HALF-TIME: UDINESE 0-0 INTER18:49

A few whip-crack saves from Juan Musso and an offside call against Lautaro Martinez means that Inter have been held goalless by relegation-fighting Udinese at the interval in Serie A - but both sides seem up for the challenge of finding a winner. At half-time, it is Udinese 0-0 Inter.18:50

There will be no need for either coach to hit the panic button, but Antonio Conte may want to consider his options. He's found chances so far for his side but perhaps not quite as many as he will have expected.18:50

We are back underway for the second half in this Serie A clash. Can Inter work their way forward to an expected three points here or can Udinese trip them up instead?19:07

An early headache to start here for Udinese, with Samir down clutching his leg after a half-chance for Inter is swept away by Musso. Play comes to a halt so he can receive treatment.19:10

Samir looks good to continue, which will be a boon for Udinese. Play resumes now as the hosts push back downfield.19:13

Pereyra! The Udinese man skies a volley from close-range over the crossbar and drops to the turf with his head in his hands. That was one heck of a miss.19:14

Inter may be left to rue their possession there. They bring the ball into the Udinese box and spend the best part of a minute trying to find an opening for a shot, before they are muscled out and away.19:16

Having been pegged back at one point to a third of possession, Udinese have brought this game back to near-level terms when it comes to the ball, now notching just over 48 per cent of it so far.19:18

Lautaro! The Inter man gets perilously close to a floated cross on the edge of Udinese's six-yard area but can't make the connection with his kung-fu style attempt to convert.19:21

There's movement on both benches at the moment as the hour mark ticks by. Each side will be looking to bring on an impact sub to steer this game towards their favour.19:22

Udinese replace Deulofeu now with Rolando Mandragora.19:22

The hosts also bring off Bonifazi for Sebastian De Maio.19:23

Bastoni comes absolutely flying in on De Paul with a tackle and picks up a deserved booking for that effort. He absolutely clattered the Udinese man.19:27

This game really is there for the taking but it is tough to see where it might come from. Udinese hold on for a point here, they will possibly be disappointed; they could conceivably win this one yet.19:30

Inter make a set of sweeping changes now, bringing on Stefano Sensi for Vidal.19:30

Ivan Perisic also arrives for the visitors, replacing Young.19:30

Alexis Sanchez is the last of the new faces, replacing Lautaro.19:31

A deflected cross from Inter nearly sails out for a corner but once more Musso is the man, making a fantastic take to keep the ball in play and prevent more sustained pressure.19:36

Hakimi! The Inter man is a whisker away from the breakthrough, latching onto a ball on the right, cutting around the defence and slashing a close finish across the face of goal, inches away from the far post. 19:36

What was merely light rain at the start of this game has now become rather heavy, lashing the players and creating a rather soggy field underfoot.19:37

Zeegelaar flies into Hakimi and sends the latter sprawling, immediately protesting the call to flash him a yellow as he wanders towards the edge of the pitch.19:38

It is the last act from Zeegelaar too as Udinese bring on Bram Nuytinck in his place.19:40

Nahuel Molina is also on for the hosts, replacing Larsen.19:41

Sensi is the latest Inter face to have a crack at goal, with limited success. Time is running for a winner here.19:40

At the risk of putting a late jinx on him, Juan Musso has been impassively superb today. In a game that hasn't been lit up by fireworks on this sodden evening, he has been a rock at the back, as arguably the most tested player on the pitch. He takes an Inter free-kick coolly once more.19:45

Sensi now gets booked for apparently impeding Lasagna from the goal-kick. It's a bit of a tough call, but the referee is unmoved.19:43

Udinese lash their free-kick in and Inter steer it straight out for a corner. Players from both sides pile into the box, for what turns out to be a feint; the hosts play it short and then concede a set-piece chance after they lose possession in a scrappy tussle.19:44

Just the one shot on target for Udinese today, with four times as many for Inter. Given the lack of opportunities they have carved out compared to their visitors, they would likely be the happier to settle for a draw - though it has been there for the taking.19:49

We're in for four added minutes here.19:50

Some late off-field drama though - Antonio Conte has been shown a red card! The Inter boss has been sent to the stands, after initially being shown a yellow. He was absolutely furious with the officials there and has been dismissed.19:51

That isn't really a loss in terms of bodies on the field for Inter of course, but that may well overshadow the final result here. Conte absolutely exploded there, a figure of rain-soaked apocalyptic rage.19:52

De Paul and Pereyra are at the heart of a swift counter-move from Udinese that takes them down the Inter end of the field. There's a corner now but the majority of the hosts' players hang back; they're not risking a breakaway from the box.19:53

De Vrij concedes a foul for a pull on Lasagna, some 30 yards out on the left edge now. This will surely be the final play of the game - and Barella clears it with a deft header back to halfway.19:54

FULL-TIME: UDINESE 0-0 INTER19:55

A string of great saves from Juan Musso means that Inter are held to a stalemate as Antonio Conte's late sending-off overshadows a fantastic result for Udinese. Under threat at the bottom, it's a vital point off a title contender - and for the visitors, it is dropped points in the race for the Scudetto. Full-time, it finishes Udinese 0-0 Inter.19:56

There's one silver lining here for the visitors; it is that Milan's loss to Atalanta at San Siro elsewhere today means they have cut the gap to two points. The bad news? Victory would have put them in the driving seat with a superior goal difference. A huge missed chance for Conte.19:57

Luca Gotti, under the cosh this term, can at least point to today's result as a sign of his side's ability. They played the long game and while they may have missed a few chances to get more, they'll be delighted with a point. Drinks for Juan Musso all around.19:59

A trip to Spezia is next up for Udinese next Sunday - but before Serie A, the Coppa Italia beckons for Inter, with a quarter-final against Milan on Tuesday. Until then, thank you for joining us - and have a great weekend!20:00