During the 1-0 loss in the reverse fixture, AC Milan were really out-of-sorts and were caught somewhat cold by Udinese. Pioli’s side entered that game having lost consecutive games to rivals Juventus in the league and then to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, before throwing away a 2-0 lead against Napoli to draw 2-2, so an abject and lacklustre performance was, therefore, no surprise.

However, they’ll approach this game in much better shape, especially having won six of their last eight matches in all competitions, losing just once in that stretch to Atalanta in the Coppa Italia. The visitors will be keen to secure Champions League football again for next season and they are in pole position to do so as they sit nine points clear of fifth place as we approach the business end of the season.

Udinese keep finding ways to throw away points, and despite winning the reverse fixture, this looks a sterner test of their credentials. In fact, Cioffi’s side have conceded past the 75th minute in four of their last five outings and it’s that lack of composure that has resulted in them winning just two games all season, and that will require serious improvement if they are to avoid relegation to Serie B this term.

AC Milan have one of the most impressive forward lines in Italian football at present, with Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic flanking the evergreen Olivier Giroud. With the help of that trio, the visitors have amassed a total of 92 shots on target this season at an average of 4.6 per game. Udinese give up an average of 3.55 per game and it’s the Rossoneri that are fancied to rack up a few on target here.

Giroud seemed to be back to his very best in the 3-1 win over AS Roma last time out, a result that ultimately cost Jose Mourinho his job. During that game, the Frenchman had 2 shots on target and managed to get on the scoresheet in the process. That took his tally to 11 goals for the campaign, but it’s his all-round game that continues to impress, with 8 assists adding to an impressive season.

Giroud has taken 30 shots this term, with 13 of those finding the target in his 17 appearances. With an average of 0.91 shots on target per 90 minutes played, there is every reason he gets involved in this game as well, especially when you consider that he also had two on target in the 1-0 loss between these sides at the end of last year. Taking him to score or assist in this one looks appealing.

Udinese are one of the league’s most ill-disciplined sides in terms of fouls committed, ranking fifth for that particular metric this season.

Their 20 Serie A games have seen an astonishing 261 fouls at an average of 13.05 per game, but interestingly, that seasonal average was marginally more in the game between these sides at the San Siro earlier in the campaign, as they committed 14.

Cioffi’s side look particularly vulnerable in this fixture, especially on the right with Rafael Leao and Theo Hernandez to contend with. The Portuguese winger is one of the most fouled players in Italy, drawing an average of 1.64 fouls per game this season, while the French left back draws 1.41. In the 1-0 defeat for AC Milan back in November, Leao drew four while Hernandez was suspended.

Festy Ebosele and Nehuen Perez are fancied in the fouls market as a result. The Udinese right-sided players have both committed 19 fouls in their 20 appearances this season, which is almost a foul per game.

However, they both really struggled in the reverse fixture, and drew the attention of the referee on five occasions between them, and something similar is expected again.