Friday 2nd December 2011, 7.45pm GMT (live on Setanta IRL)
Milan travel to Genoa this evening in the knowledge that goalkeeper Christian Abbiati will be sidelined for two more weeks. The champions’ first-choice ‘keeper suffered a shoulder injury during Milan’s recent Champions League clash with Barcelona, and his replacement Marco Amelia managed to keep a clean sheet last week when Milan thrashed Chievo 4-0.
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| Zlatan: reached his century last weekend |
While Milan enter this game on the back of a 4-0 win (during which Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored his 100th and 101st goals in Serie A), Genoa suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat at Cesena last time out. Although they are unbeaten at home so far this campaign, and they will be eager to return to winning ways, the Rossoblu haven’t yet hosted visitors boasting the quality of this Milan side.
Veteran defender Alessandro Nesta has also joined the injury list at Milan, and is expected to return early in the new year. Gennaro Gattuso and Mathieu Flamini are also expected to return in the new year, while Antonio Cassano is likely to miss the rest of the season – which is why Milan have been heavily linked with rebel Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez of late.
Genoa have failed to score in two of their last three games, and their top scorer Rodrigo Palacio is suspended for this game. Absent through injury are Luca Antonelli, Ze Eduardo and Cesare Bovo. Milan have not conceded in their last three league games, and they have scored more than any other Serie A team. The champions return to the top of the table should they win this evening, and I think they will.
Prediction – AC Milan to win – 5pts
Match odds: Genoa 3/1
Draw 9/4
AC Milan 10/11
