AC Milan vs Hellas Verona

AC Milan have laid the foundations for claiming their first Serie A title in over a decade as they welcome Hellas Verona to the Stadio San Siro.

Milan will be looking to win their first four Serie A matches on home turf for the first time since 2005/06, having won each of their inaugural three league fixtures at San Siro by a 2+ goal margin. That prospect looks to be very much within the realm of possibility, considering the ‘Rossoneri’ are unbeaten in all 29 historical top-flight H2Hs on home turf (W16, D13). Another victory here would see Milan take their points tally to 22 after their opening eight Serie A games for the first time in the three-point-per-win era. Though they remain one of only two Serie A sides yet to concede beyond half-time at home this season, Stefano Pioli’s men have shown some signs of vulnerability in either opening or closing 15 minutes of play. Indeed, all of the five league goals scored against them have come in those periods.

On the other hand, Verona’s disappointing Serie A start under former manager Eusebio Di Francesco (L3) looks like a remote memory following Igor Tudor’s impressive work in the dugout (W2, D2). During their 4-0 home thrashing of Spezia on the eve of the international break, Hellas netted 3+ first-half goals for the first time since 2014. Topically, the visitors have scored 12 Serie A goals under Tudor’s reign, bagging over 2.5 goals in three of their four league matches with the Croat in charge. That eye-catching tally has seen Verona eclipse their paltry scoring return of just 11 goals across their previous 12 top-flight outings beforehand. Worryingly, though, the ‘Gialloblu’ have failed to win any of their last seven Serie A games on hostile turf (D3, L4), conceding 2+ goals four times in that run.