The Milan injury crisis is just starting to abate, but Jose Mourinho’s Roma already held Napoli to a draw last week and want to trip up another joint Serie A leader.
Stefano Pioli will admit the last few performances have hardly been exhilarating, but winning ugly is also a sign of a Scudetto contender. Achieving those results with half the first-choice XI missing is even more remarkable. Brahim Diaz and Theo Hernandez are back from COVID-19, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic tipped to start in rotation with Olivier Giroud.
Mourinho continues to freeze out those players who displeased him during the 6-1 Conference League defeat to Bodo/Glimt, using the same starting line-up in every match until they reach exhaustion. It may well be his way of proving a point, but it’s working for the moment, holding Napoli to a 0-0 draw and coming back for a 2-1 win away to Cagliari. The only potential change could see Stephan El Shaarawy come in for Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Form Guide: Roma (W D L W L) Milan (W W W W W)
Stat fact: Milan could become only the third side in Serie A history to earn 15 away wins in a single calendar year, after Napoli’s 18 in 2017 and Juventus with 15 in 2018.
Probable line-ups
Roma (4-2-3-1): Rui Patricio; Karsdorp, Mancini, Ibanez, Vina; Cristante, Veretout; Zaniolo, Pellegrini, Mkhitaryan; Abraham
Suspended: None
Injured: Smalling, Spinazzola
On a yellow card: Cristante
Milan (4-2-3-1): Tatarusanu; Calabria, Tomori, Kjaer, Theo Hernandez; Tonali, Kessie; Saelemaekers, Brahim Diaz, Leao; Ibrahimovic
Suspended: None
Injured: Maignan, Plizzari, Florenzi, Ballo-Toure, Messias, Castillejo, Rebic
On a yellow card: None