Milan facing a tricky test at Livorno

Milan must inflict a first home defeat of the season on Livorno today if they are to keep up the pressure on Serie A leaders Juventus.

Milan, third on 34 points and nine points behind the champions, have won just six out of a possible 15 points in their last five matches and can ill- afford to drop any more against Livorno, the surprise package this season.

The Tuscan side lie fifth on 31 points and have proved especially resilient at their Picchi stadium, where they have won six of their eight games so far.

Their success is a testament to the way coach Roberto Donadoni has managed his limited resources.

His team lacks a star player, although striker Cristiano Lucarelli is a reliable goalscorer and 23-year-old keeper Marco Amelia is developing into one of Serie A's finest shot-stoppers.

The Italy reserve keeper has conceded just two goals at home this season and was in superb form as he produced a series of acrobatic saves in a 2-0 win at Palermo on Sunday.

For Donadoni and Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti, the contest will also have a personal edge to it.

The two men played together in the great Milan side of the late eighties and early nineties - a team that has produced a string of successful coaches, including Barcelona's Frank Rijkaard, former Chelsea and Newcastle United coach Ruud Gullit and Dutch national team boss Marco van Basten.

Donadoni says most of what he has given Livorno's players he learned under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Capello at Milan.

"I can offer them the experience of a footballer who has seen most things, who knows Sacchi's tactical schemes and Capello's training methods off by heart, and who tries to unite the best of both," he was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport.

He also said Livorno's chances of maintaining their current league position until the end of the season were slim.

"It's very difficult because every single one of my players is close to his best at the moment, while behind us there are teams that will get better as the season goes on, like Roma, Udinese, Sampdoria.

"That doesn't mean we won't try. If Livorno finish fifth it would be like winning the title."

Milan put the disappointment of losing to city rivals Inter the previous weekend behind them with a 4-0 win over Messina.

The final score masked a tentative first-half performance, however. Milan needed a dubious penalty, converted by Andriy Shevchenko, to go ahead after 22 minutes.

If Milan drop points against Livorno, they will almost certainly lose more ground on Juve, who have what promises to be a relatively easy home fixture against Siena.

Juventus would become "winter champions" with a win as table toppers midway through the season.

In the other matches today (all kick-offs at 8.30 p.m.), second-placed Inter aim to rack up their sixth successive Serie A win by beating Empoli, while fourth-placed Fiorentina host Palermo.

Serie A

Playing Today - 8.30 p.m.

Ascoli vs Treviso
Fiorentina vs Palermo
Inter vs Empoli
Juventus vs Siena
Lecce vs Lazio

Livorno vs Milan
Messina vs Reggina
Parma vs Cagliari
Roma vs Chievo
Udinese vs Sampdoria

Top Scorers

16 goals Toni (Fiorentina)
14 goals Trezeguet (Juventus)
9 goals Tavano (Empoli), Bonazzoli (Sampdoria), Adriano (Inter), Chiesa (Siena), Gilardino (Milan)
8 goals Suazo (Cagliari), Lucarelli (Livorno), Shevchenko (Milan)

Next Fixtures

January 7: Reggina vs Fiorentina; Palermo vs Juventus.

January 8: Cagliari vs Udinese; Chievo vs Lecce; Empoli vs Messina; Lazio vs Ascoli; Milan vs Parma; Sampdoria vs Livorno; Siena vs Inter; Treviso vs Roma.

Serie B

Played Yesterday
AlbinoLeffe vs Catania 2-2
Avellino vs Ternana 1-1
Brescia vs Crotone 2-0
Catanzaro vs Bologna 0-2
Cremonese vs Torino 0-1
Modena vs Atalanta 2-2
Rimini vs Vicenza 1-0
Triestina vs Bari 0-0
Verona vs Cesena 1-1

Playing Today
Arezzo vs Piacenza
Pescara vs Mantova