Former Inter star Diego Milito believes Mauro Icardi is on a par with Juventus forward Gonzalo Higuain.

The two sides met in the Derby d'Italia on Sunday, with Icardi on the scoresheet as Inter ran out surprise 2-1 winners, while Higuain had to settle for a place on the visitors' bench at San Siro.

Milito, who won the Champions League with the Nerazzurri in 2010, was surprised at omission of Juve's record signing and holds Icardi in similarly high regard.

"[Massimiliano] Allegri will have had his reasons, but I was very surprised when I saw Pipa [Higuain] on the bench," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"But Icardi is worth the same as Higuain. For the title of top-scorer [in Serie A], I see a fight between the two of them."

Icardi had netted all four of Inter's goals this season prior to Ivan Perisic's winner, which young skipper created himself, to earn further praise from Milito.

"He [Icardi] is a killer in the box and everyone knows it, but against Juve he was a real team man," he said.

"This was demonstrated by the way he picked up fouls for the team against [Leonardo] Bonucci and [Giorgio] Chiellini, and the ease with which, even when it seemed like he had lost an opportunity, he put in the cross to Perisic.

"And he's only 23 years old!"