Stuttering Milan look to end winless run at Lazio

Coach Stefano Pioli will be hoping the slump AC Milan are going through on all fronts is a mere blip rather than an ominous sign that the champions' grip on the Serie A title is all but over when they take on Lazio on Tuesday.

Defeats in the Coppa Italia and Italian Supercup in the space of eight days, along with two successive draws in Serie A, means the club has been on a four-match winless run in all competitions, which Pioli hopes has not dented his team's confidence as they look to close the nine-point gap with leaders Napoli.

The downturn in their fortunes has come as a bit of a surprise for a team which had entered November's World Cup break winning six of their previous eight matches in all competitions.

When they were back in Serie A action in the New Year, it seemed normal service had resumed with a 2-1 win over Salernitana. Yet that proved to be their last win.

The last time Milan had endured such a lean patch was almost two years ago when they similarly went on a run of four matches without winning any - and ended up finishing a distant runner-up to champions Inter Milan.

After waiting 11 years to win the league title last May, Pioli is determined that his second-placed team do not surrender their championship hopes by simply rolling over.

"We are certainly not going through our best period mentally but we must do better and do more," Pioli said after the Supercup final.

Lazio coach Maurizio Sarri, who will probably have to make do without injured striker Ciro Immobile, fears that Milan will be out for revenge.

"I am worried, because Milan are a strong side, they have been slapped three times and will have a strong reaction," he said.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SCRAP

Lazio's chances of ending their 23-year wait for a third