Milan went top of Serie A for the first time this season after a 2-0 victory against 10-man Genoa last night.
Udinese or previous leaders Juventus could yet overtake the champions but it was still an ominous sign from the Rossoneri to their rivals. They now have seven wins and a draw in their last eight league games.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored from the penalty spot after former Milan player Kakha Kaladze had been sent off for giving away the spot-kick, bringing down the Swede and earning a second yellow card.
Antonio Nocerino scored the killer second after being teed up by Kevin-Prince Boateng.
There was trouble outside the ground as Genoa and Milan fans clashed, with police firing tear gas to disperse the warring parties.
That move forced the referee to suspend the match for 10 minutes just past the quarter-hour mark as gas seeped into the ground, causing breathing problems for players and fans.
The first half was a tame affair, although Nocerino was twice played in behind the Genoa defence.
His first chance was thwarted by a vital last-ditch tackle from Genoa captain Marco Rossi, while goalkeeper Sebastien Frey was out swiftly to block Nocerino’s second opportunity.
Ibrahimovic presented Massimo Ambrosini with a clear shooting chance but the Milan captain somehow fell over as he tried to pull the trigger.
The hosts’ best chance came when a suicidal pass from Milan’s Brazil centre-back Thiago Silva across the box was cut out by Giandomenico Mesto, but he screwed his shot from an angle just past the far post.
Kaladze began the second half by picking up a booking for going through the back of Boateng and just minutes later he was late in a tackle on Ibrahimovic.
The referee showed a second yellow card and Ibrahimovic was ruthless from the spot on 56 minutes.
Brazilian Robinho should have killed the game on the hour mark but incredibly blazed a shot over the bar from barely two yards out in an exact replica of a chance he missed against Barcelona last week.
The miss was so bad that Alberto Aquilani, who teed him up, flopped to the ground with his head in his hands.
Nocerino showed him how it was done by making no such mistake from Boateng’s pass 11 minutes from time.
Fixtures
Serie A
Played Yesterday
Genoa 0
Milan 2
Ibrahimovic 56 pen; Nocerino 80;
HT: 0-0. Att: 20,000
Red card: Kaladze (G) 55;
Today – 20.45
Inter vs Udinese
Napoli vs Lecce
Tomorrow – 15.00
Bologna vs Siena
Catania vs Cagliari - 12.30
Chievo vs Atalanta
Fiorentina vs Roma
Juventus vs Cesena
Parma vs Palermo20.45
Monday – 20.45
Lazio vs Novara
Standings: Milan 27; Juventus 26; Udinese 24; Lazio 22; Palermo 19; Napoli, Roma, Catania 17; Genoa, Chievo, Parma 15; Siena, Atalanta (-6), Cagliari, Inter 14; Bologna 11; Novara 10; Cesena 9, Lecce 8.
Serie B
Today – 15.00
AlbinoLeffe vs Nocerina
Crotone vs Sassuolo
Empoli vs Ascoli
Juve Stabia vs Gubbio
Livorno vs Verona
Modena vs Vicenza
Padova vs Torino
Pescara vs Grosseto
Reggina vs Sampdoria - 18.00
Varese vs Brescia
Monday
Bari vs Cittadella - 20.45
Leading standings: Torino 38; Pescara 33; Sassuolo 32; Padova, Verona 31; Reggina 28; Varese 25; Sampdoria 24; Grosseto 23; Juve Stabia, Cittadella 21.