Milan v Napoli: Antonelli calls on improvement in attack

Luca Antonelli says Milan must improve in attack if they are recapture their best form in Sunday’s Serie A clash with Napoli.

Maurizio Sarri’s in-form Napoli side are unbeaten in seven fixtures across all competitions, and travel to San Siro on the back of consecutive wins against Juventus and Legia Warsaw.

Sinisa Mihajlovic suffered his third defeat as Milan boss last time out, former Napoli man Blerim Dzemaili securing victory for Genoa at the Luigi Ferraris.

However, Milan had triumphed in their previous two matches prior to that defeat, and Antonelli, who has now returned to the Milan fold following a month out injured, has insisted that the side are on the cusp of hitting peak form.

“Napoli are a strong team in really good form. It’s going to be tough,” he told Milan’s official website.

“But we are a good team as well. We just need to improve in the final third and we will be winning games easily, because we create lots of chances.

“We have to show Napoli respect because of how well they are playing, but that does not mean that we have to play a different game to how we know we can play.

“Personally, it is always a special match. I scored my first Serie A goal against Napoli at the San Paolo, it was a great feeling for me. Hopefully I can do it again on Sunday.”

After a sluggish start to the campaign, Napoli are beginning to come good under Sarri, and were deserved winners against defending champions Juventus last week.

Gonzalo Higuain put in a superb display in that victory, scoring one and assisting another, and the Argentina striker moved his tally for the season up to six with a stunning goal in the 2-0 Europa League win over Legia.

Dries Mertens netted Napoli’s opener in Thursday’s win, and the diminutive winger is hoping to capitalise on the likely absence of Lorenzo Insigne (knee), with another strong performance this weekend.

“We are very happy with the game and the result [against Legia], and for me I am pleased with my goal and how I played,” Mertens told Napoli’s official website.

“We know that we can win more and more if we keep up this intensity. We have to continue like this and I will try to give my best in Milan on Sunday. We have to continue the race in the championship.”