Zlatan Ibrahimovic has provided Milan with a major lift ahead of the derby against Inter, returning to first-team training and sharing pearls of wisdom with his Rossoneri team-mates.

Sunday's San Siro battle comes too soon for Ibrahimovic to make an impact on the pitch, but the 41-year-old striker is back in the fold, close to returning from the knee surgery he underwent last May.

It was envisaged he would be absent for around eight months, and Milan have given the veteran all the time he needs.

Head coach Stefano Pioli believes having Ibrahimovic around the squad can only be a positive as last season's Serie A champions bid to recover from a drastic dip in form.

Milan have lost three games in a row, including a Supercoppa Italiana final 3-0 thumping by Inter, and are without a win in their last six.

Discussing the return of the charismatic Ibrahimovic, who is a former Inter player, Pioli said on Saturday: "He has always been fundamental for this team.

"On Friday he resumed training with us, even if to a small extent. Unfortunately, the two games against Tottenham [in the Champions League] come too soon, and right now we don't know when he will be at 100 per cent.

"I hope with all my heart he can come back soon, especially for what he's doing. Few people would do what he's doing to come back from such a difficult and complicated injury.

"Has he talked to his team-mates? I think so, he knows how to strike the right chords."

Pioli's team have slipped 15 points behind leaders Napoli and entered the weekend in fifth place, albeit only two points behind second-placed Inter, so there is all to play for at San Siro.

"It will be a great opportunity for us and we must do everything to seize it," Pioli said. "Inter come into the match in excellent form, but we have a great desire to start again."

Since the Supercoppa loss on January 18, Milan have been beaten 4-0 at Lazio and 5-2 at home by lowly Sassuolo, putting their top-four prospects in unexpected mid-season peril.

Inter will fancy piling on more misery, but Pioli said: "We have not lost the spirit that has always distinguished us. We must go back to showing it."

Milan are determined to get back into the top four and ink themselves in for another Champions League campaign, but Pioli said: "It shouldn't be taken for granted.

"We have to win many games from here until the end to get as high as possible."

Milan Skriniar will no longer captain Inter after agreeing to join Paris Saint-Germain, says Simone Inzaghi, but the Nerazzurri boss still expects the defender to start Sunday's derby against Milan.

Skriniar revealed he had reached an agreement with PSG last week, though the move will not occur until the expiration of his contract in June after Inter stood firm on his €20million valuation in the January transfer window.

The Slovakia international sat out Tuesday's Coppa Italia win over Atalanta, but he captained Inter on his last appearance against Empoli on January 23, when he was sent off.

With club captain Samir Handanovic losing his starting spot to Andre Onana, Skriniar has skippered Inter for much of the season, but Inzaghi has now revealed that will no longer be the case.

"We have hierarchies based on appearances, but because of what happened he will no longer be the captain," Inzaghi said at Saturday's pre-match press conference.

"We talked about it very calmly with the club and the boy.

"The captain is Handanovic, then we'll scale based on appearances with [Marcelo] Brozovic, [Danilo] D'Ambrosio and Lautaro [Martinez]. 

"The thing that matters most to me is the match."

Inzaghi remains likely to name Skriniar in his line-up against city rivals Milan, who have slipped out of Serie A's top four amid a six-match winless run in all competitions.

"I don't judge his choices but the man and the player, who are unique," Inzaghi said of Skriniar. "He is a splendid boy, who works very well every day. He will probably be a starter."

While both Milan giants have struggled to match the pace set by runaway leaders Napoli this campaign, Inzaghi expects the derby to be fiercely competitive.

"I can say that two teams are facing each other who fought for the Scudetto last year, who played in the Supercoppa Italiana, who are well-equipped and want to make their run without thinking about the others," he said.

"In all the derbies I have seen that they are special matches, which live as single episodes, where a single decision can change the game from one moment to the next. 

"We know that there is this gap, at this moment of the season every point is fundamental for any goal, whether it is to bring Napoli closer or to detach ourselves from the teams pursuing us." 

Having lost September's return fixture 3-2, Inter are looking to deny Milan a first Serie A double over their rivals since the 2010-11 season.

Milan will attempt to recover from a miserable January when they do battle with in-form Inter in a derby at San Siro on Sunday.

The Rossoneri have suffered three consecutive defeats in all competitions, conceding 12 goals in the process to lose the Supercoppa Italiana and leave their hopes of retaining the Serie A title in tatters.

Stefano Pioli's side have slipped to fifth, but a victory this weekend would put them above their second-placed city rivals.

Either way, there are appears to be no stopping Napoli in their quest for the Scudetto, with the runaway leaders holding a 13-point advantage at the summit.

Stats Perform picks out the standout Opta numbers for a derby Milan fans may be dreading given their alarming slump.

Milan suffer the January blues

It has certainly not been a happy new year for Milan so far, and a 5-2 home defeat to Sassuolo last Sunday saw them sink to a new low.

That came on the back of a 4-0 hammering at Lazio, and Inter also capitalised on their defensive frailties to win the Supercoppa Italiana with a 3-0 victory last month.

Milan have extended the season of goodwill into 2023, and they made unwanted history in January, with the 18 goals they conceded more than they had previously shipped in any single month since records began in 1929-30.

The last time they lost four games in a row was between January and February 2017 under Vincenzo Montella.

Inter to deny Milan a long-awaited double?

Inter have won their past two games in all competitions and were able to keep defender Milan Skriniar during the transfer window, although he is expected to join Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season.

Simone Inzaghi's side have lost their past two Serie A derbies against Milan, but they have not suffered three losses in a row to their fierce rivals since a run of four defeats on the spin between November 2002 and February 2004.

Rafael Leao scored twice in a 3-2 win when Milan were the home team in the Serie A clash in September, and they will be striving to complete a first league double over Inter since the 2010-11 campaign.

Nerazzurri's strong home form built on solid foundations

While Milan can't stop conceding goals, Inter have had no such trouble at home in Serie A this season.

They have only let five goals in at home in the league, the joint-best record along with Roma.

Only Napoli (28) have earned more points at home this season than Inzaghi's men, who have 24 from 10 games – winning eight and losing two.

More derby delight for Giroud?

Milan striker Olivier Giroud has scored in both Serie A derbies he has played in against Inter.

The France international could become the first player to find the back of the net in his first three derbies for Milan in the three-points-for-a-win era (since 1994-95).

Giroud was on target in the drubbing at the hands of Sassuolo last weekend, that goal taking his tally in Serie A to six for the season.

Rafael Leao wants to stay at Milan amid interest from Europe's elite clubs, with his agent slamming "false and misleading information" regarding his contract talks with the Rossoneri. 

The Portugal international was integral as Milan ended an 11-year wait for the Scudetto last season, scoring 11 Serie A goals for Stefano Pioli's title-winning side.

That led to increased speculation over a move away, with the likes of Real Madrid, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain credited with an interest in the forward.

With the 23-year-old's contract set to expire in June 2024, Milan remain confident they can agree fresh terms as Leao's agent Ted Dimvula reiterated his client's desire to stay at San Siro.

"There is a lot of false and misleading information about Rafael Leao, mainly in the Italian press," Dimvula told Fabrizio Romano on Wednesday.

"This has only one purpose: to paralyse the cordial and professional dialogue that we have with the Milan management regarding the extension of Rafael's contract.

"We are currently working together to find a satisfactory solution for all parties."

Pioli's side have failed to win their last six games across all competitions and are now fifth in Serie A, 15 points adrift of runaway leaders Napoli.

Leao was dropped to the bench for Sunday's 5-2 defeat against Sassuolo, sparking reports the former Sporting CP forward wanted a move away and was trying to lower his release clause. 

However, Dimvula has no doubts the former Sporting CP forward intends to "progress" with Milan.

"The player's priority has not changed: he wants to stay at Milan and continue to grow and progress at this club and in this city that he loves so much," he added.

"We therefore firmly deny any desire on the part of Rafael and his entourage to lower his release clause in order to facilitate a departure of the player next summer.

"Rafael is completely focused on the important goal at hand with his current club, and he hopes, in this difficult period, to be able to let him work calmly and serenely to return to winning ways."

Nicolo Zaniolo asked to be welcomed back in an open letter to Roma's supporters after his failed request to leave in the January transfer window.

Zaniolo was linked with several clubs – including Milan and Bournemouth – after Roma head coach Jose Mourinho confirmed the forward wished to depart after a win against Spezia in mid-January.

The Italy international was keen on a move to Milan and reportedly irked Roma by rejecting the chance to join Bournemouth in a £26.3million (€30m) deal.

That led Mourinho to describe the likelihood of Zaniolo staying at the Stadio Olimpico as "unfortunate" as the end of the window approached, while the forward was also reportedly threatened by fans.

With Zaniolo set to stay at Roma until at least the end of the season after failing to secure a move away, he hopes the Giallorossi will welcome him back into the fold.

"Many things have been said and written about me in recent weeks and many are not true," the 23-year-old said in an open letter sent to ANSA on Wednesday.

"I arrived in Rome as an unknown and Roma and the fans welcomed me as one of their own. They gave me trust, courage and affection in the terrible moments and during my injuries. 

"At 23, I have had experiences that many of my colleagues do not in their whole careers, to fall, to get up, to fall again, to get up again, to win.

"In recent months, I went through a delicate period, in which it was difficult to understand what my professional future would be. 

"However, I have always worked hard on the pitch and in training with the utmost professionalism. For the first time in recent days I have been afraid, for myself and for my family, and I have felt abandoned.

"The future is in our hands. I hold out mine and place myself at the complete disposal of the Roma family."

Zaniolo – who has only scored once in 13 Serie A appearances this campaign – has not played for Roma since their Coppa Italia win over Genoa on January 12, missing their last three league games.

Milan have denied any issues in ongoing negotiations with Rafael Leao regarding a new contract following reports on Tuesday.

It was reported in Italy that discussions between the Portugal international and the club on a new deal had broken down.

Leao's deal at San Siro is due to expire in 2024 and it was claimed the player's entourage wanted to significantly reduce his release clause.

Milan have denied that any breakdown has occurred, though, and insist discussions will continue.

"With regard to the article published today by the newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport titled: 'Leao Milan total break', Milan would like to clarify that the negotiation with Rafael Leao has not suffered any interruption," a club statement read.

"The journalistic narrative of an alleged frost between the parties is not only totally unfounded but also harmful to the club and its player.

"AC Milan continues, in fact, the dialogue with Leao and his entourage in a serene and professional atmosphere."

Several clubs have been attributed with an interest in Leao, including Premier League trio Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea.

Stefano Pioli accepts something has to change at Milan if they are emerge from their slump after achieving an unwanted first with their 5-2 loss at home to Sassuolo on Sunday.

The Rossoneri shipped four or more goals in successive Serie A matches for the first time in their history, having previously been thumped 4-0 at Lazio in midweek.

Milan also recently suffered a 3-0 defeat to rivals Inter in the Supercoppa Italiana, meaning they have lost three in a row in all competitions for the first time since September 2019.

Without a win in six games going further back, the pressure is building on head coach Pioli, who ended the club's 11-year Scudetto wait last season.

While the 57-year-old is expected to be given more time to turn things around, he understands Milan cannot carry on as they are.

"I'm thinking about many things," he told Sky Sport. "Everything that has worked over the past two years isn't working right now.

"It's clear that if you want to change results, you have to change something. I'll make the decisions that are needed to bring us more compactness, energy and better balance."

Domenico Berardi helped pile the misery on Milan at San Siro with a goal and assists for Gregoire Defrel, Davide Frattesi and Matheus Henrique.

Armand Lauriente was also on the scoresheet from the penalty spot, with Olivier Giroud and Divock Origi netting what proved to be consolation goals for out-of-form Milan.

It marks the first time the Rossoneri have conceded five goals at home in a league match since April 1997 when losing 6-1 to Juventus.

And with Serie A leaders Napoli 10 points clear of Milan ahead of facing Roma later on Sunday, Pioli concedes his side's hopes of defending the title are over.

"To say I'm disappointed doesn't cut it," Pioli said. "These recent performances have left us in difficulty, but this must push me to understand certain situations must be improved.

"We have to react. We probably won't be able to win the Scudetto again. Instead, our Scudetto is fighting to finish in the Champions League spots, which we can achieve."

Next up for Milan is another Derby della Madonnina showdown with Inter at San Siro next weekend, and striker Giroud has called for unity during a tough period for the club.

"It's a difficult moment for us, but we have to stay together," he told DAZN. "We have the support of the fans, which we have seen.

"We want to give everything for them on the pitch because they deserve more. At the moment I realise things are not going in the right direction. We have to work harder.

"Everything is going wrong for us. Our attitude is good and we want to do well, but it's not enough. 

"Whoever plays, however, must do more, myself included. Let's try to stay united. We have the opportunity to raise the level in the derby with Inter next week."

A goal and two assists from Italy international Domenico Berardi piled on the misery for Milan as Sassuolo thrashed the Rossoneri 5-2 at San Siro.

Sassuolo took an early two-goal lead thanks to goals from Gregoire Defrel and Davide Frattesi prior to Olivier Giroud pulling one back for the hosts.

Berardi made it 3-1 after just 30 minutes before Armand Lauriente's penalty and Matheus Henrique's effort in the second half handed Milan their second chastening loss in a week after their 4-0 humbling at Lazio on Tuesday.

Divock Origi scored a consolation for Stefano Pioli's side, who are now six games without a win heading into next weekend's Milan derby, including four in Serie A as their title defence continues to falter.

A VAR review denied Giroud an eighth-minute opener and, to make matters significantly worse, Milan found themselves two down inside 22 minutes.

Berardi squared for Defrel to tap in the opener before the same man fed Frattesi, who fired past Ciprian Tatarusanu at his near post after great work in the area.

Milan provided a swift response when Giroud expertly headed Davide Calabria's cross into the far corner in the 25th minute.

But the two-goal lead was restored on the half-hour mark when Berardi flicked a near-post header past Tatarusanu from a corner.

Milan's hopes of a second-half comeback were doused almost immediately as Lauriente was brought down in the penalty area by Calabria after 33 seconds of the restart, allowing the Frenchman to make it 4-1 from the spot, meaning Milan had conceded at least four goals in back-to-back Serie A games for the first time in their history.

Ante Rebic had a goal ruled out for offside before Henrique fired in a fifth with just over 10 minutes remaining, with Origi's curling strike into the top corner doing little to lift the gloom among the home fans.

Stefano Pioli is not expecting Milan to do business before the transfer window closes on Tuesday, believing their squad already contains the solutions to all their problems.

The Rossoneri have suffered an alarming slump this month, going five matches without a win across all competitions.

The three defeats in that run have been particularly concerning as Milan have crashed out of the Coppa Italia to Torino, lost 3-0 to rivals Inter in the Supercoppa Italiana and been on the end of a 4-0 thrashing by Lazio this week.

Yet Pioli is relying on the players who have struggled of late to set Milan back on course, starting against Sassuolo on Sunday.

"We have the resources to get out of this moment," the coach said. "The club has been expressing itself on the market for some time.

"We're recovering from injuries, so that's how we're doing."

Pioli agreed Milan are dealing with a mental issue, but he has no doubts about the attitude of his players.

"Absolutely. No-one should think that the players do not want to overcome this moment or that they do not put in 100 per cent," he said. "I have always seen great attention and will.

"This moment is overcome by working, because we know how to do much better than what we are doing."

Milan have not gone six matches without a win since April 2018, then led by Gennaro Gattuso, and Pioli acknowledges only the result matters against Sassuolo at San Siro.

"Maybe winning tomorrow will see the return of our self-esteem," he said. "And the results and football will be as beautiful as we have always been."

Chelsea's busy January is showing no signs of slowing down, despite landing five players already.

The Blues, who are 10th in the Premier League, have brought in Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana and Benoit Badiashile during this window.

Chelsea are 10 points behind fourth-placed Manchester United and desperate for a top-four finish to bring Champions League football back to Stamford Bridge.

And another signing is now imminent.

TOP STORY –  CHELSEA AGREE DEAL FOR LYON'S GUSTO

Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea have agreed to a deal with Lyon to sign right-back Malo Gusto.

The 19-year-old will fly to London and undergo medical tests on Saturday, with the player to join the Blues in June 2023.

Lyon will receive €30million plus add-ons and retain the player on loan for the remainder of the season.

OL head coach Laurent Blanc had said the club's board guaranteed that he would remain with the club this season, with the loan solving that roadblock. 

ROUND-UP

– Arsenal will make an improved offer for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo , according to The Telegraph. The Seagulls turned down Arsenal's initial £60m bid for the Ecuadorian, who took to social media to plead with the club to let him go.

– Atletico Madrid are back in for PSG defender Presnel Kimpembe , having been interested in him during the off-season, reports Le Parisien. Kimpembe, who is out of contract in mid-2024, may slip out of favour at PSG with the French champions pushing to sign Inter's Milan Skriniar.

– Real Madrid have ruled out an off-season transfer for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice , according to The Daily Mail. The report claims Rice has "given his word" to Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta that he will join the Gunners next season.

– Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo has rejected a move to Premier League strugglers Bournemouth despite the club's board travelling to Italy, preferring Milan or Tottenham instead, claims Fabrizio Romano.

– FootMercato claims PSG are readying a bid for Lyon's 19-year-old winger Rayan Cherki. PSG have previously tabled two bids for him.

– Lyon are also set to lose 22-year-old Brazilian winger Tete who will join Leicester City until the end of the season, reports The Sun. West Ham, Brentford and Leeds United were also interested in Tete.

Chelsea have spent plenty of money on recruitment during the January transfer window, landing Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueka, Andrey Santos, David Datro Fofana and Benoit Badiashile.

But the Blues may not be done with transfer activity before Tuesday's window closure.

Chelsea are still eager to bolster their midfield options, having missed out on a few key targets.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA TO MOVE FOR EVERTON MIDFIELDER

Chelsea will move to sign unsettled Everton defensive midfielder Amadou Onana, according to The Times.

The Blues will divert their attention to the Senegal-born Belgium international after missing out on Benfica's Enzo Fernandez and Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo.

Onana was given a leave of absence from Everton training earlier this week and is unhappy given the club's plight with Frank Lampard sacked as manager this week.

ROUND-UP

– Ferran Torres could be sold by Barcelona in the off-season, despite only joining the Blaugrana in January last year, reports Sport. Barca have ignored offers for the forward in January, despite some clubs wanting him on loan while the report links Atletico Madrid with the 22-year-old.

– Milan are monitoring the status of Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, according to The Sun. The Portuguese has struggled for games since the World Cup and could be open to a move.

– Tottenham are getting closer to completing a deal for Sporting full-back Pedro Porro, reports The Guardian. Sporting are determined to recoup his buyout clause of €45 million (£39.7m), with talks, ongoing since the start of the month, getting towards a conclusion.

– Fabrizio Romano claims Weston McKennie has agreed personal terms with Leeds United however the move hinges on negotiations with Juventus about the transfer fee. Leeds' opening bid was €28m, but the Bianconeri want €35m.

– Everton are plotting a shock £25m move to sign Chelsea's Moroccan winger Hakim Ziyech, claims Sky Sports. Roma are also interested in the 29-year-old too, while PSG are keeping tabs on him, according to Media Foot.

– Nottingham Forest are weighing up a bid to sign 28-year-old Italian midfielder Roberto Gagliardini from Inter, claims Calciomercato.

Maurizio Sarri was pleased to be able to help out former club Napoli as his Lazio side's 4-0 thrashing of Milan on Tuesday gave the Serie A leaders another boost in their title charge.

Sarri was born in Naples and managed the Partenopei between 2015 and 2018, who under Luciano Spalletti now look set to end a 33-year wait for Scudetto success.

Napoli's lead at the top was 12 points heading into Milan's game with Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico, and that remained the case following a rampant display from the hosts.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Mattia Zaccagni had Sarri's men cruising at the break, and Luis Alberto and Felipe Anderson added second-half goals as Milan's bid to close the gap to the Serie A summit to nine points fell woefully short.

While Sarri was keen to focus on his team's performance, he also said he found pleasure in assisting his old club, telling DAZN: "We mainly gave ourselves a gift. We cared a lot for the standings and to show how much we have grown.

"If Napoli are well placed in the standings, for me it's nothing but a reason for satisfaction."

The sparkling display against Milan was Lazio's second straight league win and hoisted them from sixth up into third, just a point behind the reigning champions.

Aside from their impressive attacking performance, Sarri's men picked up an 11th clean sheet in 19 Serie A games so far this campaign, equalling the club record for clean sheets at this point in a top-flight season.

Former Chelsea boss Sarri was delighted with how his team performed and suggested it may have been the best they had played under him since arriving at the club in 2021.

"In terms of technical, tactical enjoyment, today was one of the best," Sarri added. "Perhaps the best.

"This group has always given me total availability and we can do well if we remove the flaw of not picking up away points against inferior teams on paper."

The victory moved Lazio above top-four rivals Inter and Roma on goal difference, after their bid for Champions League qualification already received a big hand on Saturday with Juventus' 15-point deduction for alleged false accounting.

Sarri hopes his side can maintain their momentum and continue their assault on the top four against Fiorentina on Sunday, saying: "At the final whistle, I thought that in a few days we have a very difficult match against Fiorentina.

"We must not think about the long term, but keep the adrenaline seen tonight also in the next matches. Unfortunately, this has sometimes been our flaw.

"We do the maximum of what we can do, then at the end of the season we'll sum up. There are teams that are better equipped for me [to finish top four], but we still take it one game at a time and see what comes of it."

Stefano Pioli wants Milan to "shut up and work" after they lost more ground in the Serie A title race with a 4-0 thumping at the hands of Lazio on Tuesday.

The Rossoneri lost for the first time in seven league matches with goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Mattia Zaccagni giving Maurizio Sarri's side the advantage heading into the break.

Luis Alberto then added a third with a well-taken penalty before Felipe Anderson rounded off the scoring as Milan failed to win for a fifth straight game in all competitions.

With Pioli's men remaining 12 points behind Napoli, the Milan head coach believes it is time for less talk and more action from the reigning champions.

"Right now there are many things that are not working, mental and tactical aspects," Pioli told DAZN. "I'm here to talk because I have to, we should shut up and work. I too will try to talk less and work more.

"We have to get back to Milanello [Milan's training ground] quickly to work and work well, we're not playing according to our possibilities.

"Things aren't going well for us, that's for sure. In 20 days we haven't brought home any good performances or results."

With Milan now having conceded eight goals in their past three league matches, as many as in their nine previous Serie A games, Pioli knows his team will have to find a defensive fix, and quick, if they are to somehow claw back Napoli and retain the title.

"The problem right now isn't too much with the ball," Pioli explained. "But without the ball there's no cover and we leave too many spaces.

"We just have to work. The team needs to be more compact, attentive and collaborative. Continuing to make these mistakes means creating even more difficulties in the match.

"We have to go back to playing as we know how and do it as soon as possible. In the last two weeks the performances have not been what we expected and could have done."

Milan's search for a return to form could soon be boosted by the return of veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has missed all of this season with a knee injury but posted a video earlier on Tuesday of him kicking a ball at the club's training ground.

Pioli refused to point to Ibrahimovic's long absence for his team's shortcomings this season, adding: "It's too easy now [to blame Ibrahimovic's injury]. We don't want to have any excuses or justifications.

"I realise that it's a delicate moment for the boys. They will have my support. They will certainly want to be competitive again soon."

Milan missed the opportunity to close the gap on Serie A leaders Napoli after they were thumped 4-0 by a rampant Lazio at the Stadio Olimpico on Tuesday.  

Stefano Pioli's men were condemned to a first defeat in seven league matches after goals from Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Mattia Zaccagni gave the hosts a half-time advantage.

Luis Alberto added a third from the spot after the interval before Felipe Anderson rounded off the scoring as the Rossoneri failed to win for the fifth game in a row in all competitions.

The impressive result sees Maurizio Sarri's Lazio leap from sixth to third and within a point of Milan, who remain 12 points off Napoli.

Lazio were ahead just four minutes in, Luis Alberto cleverly dummying a Zaccagni pass into the path of Milinkovic-Savic to coolly stroke into the bottom corner.

Sandro Tonali stung the palms of Ivan Provedel as Milan looked for a response, but the champions would find themselves two goals down before half-time.

Adam Marusic saw a shot come back off the post after latching onto Pedro's through-ball, but Zaccagni was there to bundle home the rebound for his third goal in three league games. 

Milan's shaky defending continued to be their downfall in the second half, with Lazio going further ahead when Pierre Kalulu brought down Pedro for a penalty, which Luis Alberto blasted straight down the middle past Ciprian Tatarusanu.

With Milan staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat, Anderson slotted home after a neat pass from Luis Alberto to further embarrass Pioli's side.

Stefano Pioli expressed confidence that his Milan side can respond against Lazio following a disappointing sequence of results.

The defending Serie A champions have endured back-to-back 2-2 draws in the league against Roma and Lecce to leave them 12 points behind leaders Napoli, albeit with a game in hand.

Pioli's side also suffered a Coppa Italia defeat to Torino and lost the Supercoppa against rivals Inter in Saudi Arabia, resulting in a four-match winless streak in all competitions.

Milan are looking to return to winning ways on Tuesday when they travel to face Lazio, and Pioli is confident the team will respond in a positive manner.

"We have to face these moments, it will be another exam to overcome with humility and unity," he said at a press conference.

"Criticism is there, because the performances have been below our possibilities and the expectations, which, being Milan, are very high, we have strong roots.

"There have been experiences with lightness and good humour, now we need compactness and the will to react. My players are not bad, they deserve my trust and respect.

"We needed to reset. The situations to improve are tactical, technical and mental. The most important aspect is the mental one.

"It's good to remember how we managed to win last year in Rome, going through difficulties, but maintaining balance and focus until winning the game at the end.

"When you coach such a strong team, it's normal that my expectations are also aimed at a maximum performance and result.

"From the missed victory against Roma to the derby, we had to do more. Now we have two options: either to continue feeling sorry for ourselves or to react. I'm sure it's the latter."