In-form Milan look to add more pressure on Juve
Capello reckons team looks lively enough; Crespo wants to end career at San Siro
In-form Milan, having closed the gap on leaders Juventus to two points, travel to Palermo today with Argentine striker Hernan Crespo looking back to his best.
It was at Palermo's Favorita stadium in an Italian Cup tie on November 20 that Crespo finally got his first goal for Milan over three months after arriving on loan from Chelsea.
The former Lazio, Parma and Inter striker has hit nine goals in all competitions since, including a hat-trick in Thursday's 5-2 crushing of Lecce.
Crespo has struck up a strong understanding with European Footballer of the Year Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko, putting disappointing spells at Inter and Chelsea behind him.
"If it was up to me I wouldn't move from here and I would end my career with Milan," said Crespo after receiving the match ball for his hat-trick on Thursday.
Milan are looking to make his move from Chelsea permanent and coach Carlo Ancelotti, who helped Crespo find his feet in Italy during the pair's time at Parma, will be delighted if a deal can be sorted quickly.
Ancelotti's priority, however, is to keep up his team's impressive form.
After a sluggish start the champions are looking sharp and confident, with 11 goals in their last two home games and the away draw at Juventus before the Christmas break confirming his team are well capable of defending their title.
Seventh-placed Palermo will be tough opponents but Crespo is not the only one who recalls the 2-1 Cup win as a turning point in the season.
"We are back to the form we showed last season and I think things started to change at Palermo," Ancelotti said.
Juventus, held to a second successive draw, at Parma, on Thursday, will expect to get back to winning ways against Livorno at the Delle Alpi stadium.
After the 1-1 draw at Parma coach Fabio Capello dismissed suggestions his side are looking stale.
"I was pleased with the performance but obviously not the result," said Capello,
"We are still top of the league and the team looks lively enough to me."
Fourth-placed Inter, who won 2-0 at Livorno on Thursday, are at home to improving Sampdoria whose impressive win over third-placed Udinese moved them up to fifth.
Lazio, who enjoyed a 3-1 triumph in the Rome derby, face a Fiorentina side smarting from defeat by Atalanta - the first win of the season for the division's bottom club.