Icardi vs. Higuain: What separates Serie A's fiercest forwards

Would you take Gonzalo Higuain or Mauro Icardi?

The answer is simple for Argentina legend Maradona.

"Icardi should be left well away from the national team," he said in January. "Rather than bring in Icardi, I'd call up (43-year-old) Bazan Vera.

"Icardi should not be fourth choice for Argentina but seventh choice."

Right now, that is practically the case. Icardi has not appeared for his country since October 2013, while Higuain remains Albiceleste manager Edgardo Bauza's primary choice at the No. 9 position.

Bauza said he will be in attendance for Sunday's Derby d'Italia between Higuain's Juventus and Icardi's Inter. It is another opportunity to assess his options before 2018 World Cup qualifying resumes in March.

It also provides a platform for Serie A observers to witness two of the division's deadliest strikers probing defences on the same pitch.

Only Napoli sensation Dries Mertens has scored more than Higuain and Icardi's 15 goals in the Italian top flight. On the surface - at least this season - there's little to separate the two.

Higuain set the modern-day Serie A goals standard with Napoli in 2015-16, netting 36 strikes to break a 66-year-old record.

Life at Juventus is different. He is no longer the only threat in attack, whereas Napoli's chances of winning last season hinged on his exploits.

But he's scoring with regularity in Massimiliano Allegri's new 4-2-3-1 system, which has allowed him to get more involved in the Old Lady's overall buildup play.

In the three Serie A matches prior to the tactical switch, Higuain averaged 25.6 touches; in the two since the change, he's recorded a sizeable 43.5.

Icardi's enjoyed his own upturn in fortune. Not too long ago, his future with Inter was at stake. A firestorm between the 23-year-old and the club's hardcore supporters threatened to end his captaincy and push him out the door.

Since signing a new five-year contract with the Nerazzurri in October, however, the former Sampdoria hitman has become the lifeblood of a seven-match Serie A winning streak that's lifted Inter back into Champions League contention.

The two meet Sunday with more than their Serie A commitments on the line. Their performances at the Juventus Stadium could sway Bauza before he returns to Argentina.

At the moment, it is fair to say Higuain is the better striker and Icardi the more complete player. A deeper look at the statistics reveals Higuain does more with his chances, while Icardi creates more of them for his teammates and contributes more on the opposite end of the pitch:

Last year, Higuain fired shots almost with reckless abandon. Only Cristiano Ronaldo took more attempts across the top five leagues than the 29-year-old Argentine, who clearly had instructions from Napoli gaffer Maurizio Sarri to go for goal upon sighting it.

His conversion rate suffered - the likes of Icardi and AC Milan's Carlos Bacca posted better numbers than Higuain's otherwise average 19.7 percent - but this season, he is a lot more accurate.

That is partly down to a different style of play, but perhaps it is simply evidence of a striker who is doing a better job of picking his spots. His economy of movement has improved as well, with every step and run packing more purpose.

At his current rate, Higuain will not touch the record he set last May. That was always an impossible task. The fact he is scoring against quality opposition - including the likes of former outfit Napoli, title rival Roma, and in the Champions League - is all Juventus needs from its €90-million summer signing.

He also has four braces to his name this season, showing he can single-handedly dominate games. In November's city derby against Torino, he wasn't even at his best, but chimed in on opportunistic counter-attacks to deliver a 3-1 victory.

Icardi's a dynamite poacher as well, with more headers (five) than any other Serie A striker, but his overall contribution to the Inter cause is even more important.

Besides being involved in 23 goals thus far between goals and assists - the highest total among Europe's top tiers - Icardi has demonstrated a willingness to track back and set up his teammates. He is just as influential a playmaker as he is a scorer.

His vision is his most underrated quality.

Replacing Rodrigo Palacio in a last-16 Coppa Italia fixture against Bologna, Icardi made an instant impact, running down the channel and stretching the defence. His smooth ball to Joao Mario was perfectly weighted. If only the Euro 2016 winner came up with a better finish:

In the end, the difference comes down to player profiles. Higuain is the man to lead the scoring charts, while Icardi, despite his perception as a bad boy, is actually more of a team player than his countryman.

If all goes to plan Sunday, the Inter marksman could add yet more supporting material to his argument that he deserves a call-up back to the Argentina squad.

After all, he has scored seven goals in nine matches against Juventus. Bauza may have picked the right game to watch.