Why AC Milan could run away in the Serie A title race

After nine years of Juventus domination, Italian football has gotten back to its old self, where multiple teams are in contention for silverware. 

The Serie A has had four different winners in its past six seasons, with the likes of Lazio, Bologna, and Atatanta winning silverware outside the league.

This season's edition of the league has looked like fitting that trend, as the likes of Napoli, Inter, Roma, Juventus,  and AC Milan have all topped the table at different stages of the season, with Como and Bologna also hovering around the top.

However, when looking at the Serie A table, there is one notable factor that stands out - we are fourteen games into the season, and AC Milan has only lost one game.

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The stat becomes even more impressive when reminded that the one game they lost was their first match of the season, a home tie against Cremonese.

Since then, AC have gone undefeated in the league and currently sits in first place with 31 points.

A title win for the 'Casciavit' this season would not only make it their twentieth Scudetto, but put them level on titles with fierce rivals Inter.

And whilst they are currently level on points with Napoli, there's an array of reasons as to why Milan may have an advantage over their title competitors.

DAZN News takes a detailed look at five reasons why AC Milan could start to run away with the Serie A title race.

Massimiliano Allegri

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Following on from a disastrous campaign last season, I Rossoneri sacked Sergio Conceição and turned to a past friend in Max Allegri.

Allegri is the second most coveted manager in Serie A history with six titles, and will be looking to join the legendary Giovanni Trapattoni in first with a Scudetto this season.

One of the faces of Serie A, Massimiliano Allegri, won 12 trophies with Juventus and reached two UEFA Champions League finals.

He is also one of only three people to guide AC Milan to a Scudetto in the 21st century, winning the title with them back in 2011.

Known for his pragmatic style, which focuses on defensive solidarity and controlled play, Allegri sets his teams up to do one thing only - win championships.

His effect on Milan can be seen already, as not only are they top of the league , but they have only conceded 11 goals so far.

No European football and Coppa Italia

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Simply put, they have a free run at the league.

As previously mentioned, AC Milan finished eighth last season and failed to qualify for any European competition.

Whilst their title competitors are battling it out against Europe's elite during the week, Allegri and his side have the chance to rest, recuperate, and plan.

Milan are also out of the Coppa Italia as last week they lost 1-0 in their round of 16 clash against Lazio, decluttering their upcoming fixture list even more.

Captain America

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Christian Pulisic has been a revelation in Milan - whenever he has played.

Despite impressing almost every time he has stepped onto the San Siro turf, the man from the U.S.A. has been sidelined several times since his move to Italy.

And whilst Pulisic's injury problems have already seen him miss several games this season, he is still the top scorer in Serie A with seven goals, and many people's MVP so far.

Bagging and starring in crucial wins against Inter and Napoli, whenever he plays, he elevates Milan to the next level.

And just to really convince you how instrumental Pulisic is for Milan's title bid, take a look at some of these stats.

Christian Pulisic has averaged 1.41 goals per 90 minutes so far this season, having a goal conversion rate of 50%, whilst also managing a goal every 64 minutes he plays. Outrageous.

Keeping Pulsiic fit must become a priority for AC, as if they succeed in doing so, they may just run away with it.

Upcoming run of fixtures

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In the first half of the season, Milan has already played all of their title competitors once. Even better, they have not lost a single game against one of them.

Milan has taken wins from Bologna, Napoli, Inter, Roma, and Lazio, and has only dropped points against Juventus in a 1-1 draw.

And when fans of the Rossoneri look ahead at their next five Serie A fixtures, they will certainly have a sly grin on their face.

The highest placed side AC Milan face in their next five matches is Sassuolo in eighth. You can watch that game this Sunday, December 14, live only on DAZN.

Two weeks on, Milan then face nineteenth placed Hellas Verona at Home, then four days later have a trip to thirteenth placed Cagliari.

To cap of the first 19 fixtures of the season, they then play Genoa at home, followed by a trip to rock-bottom and winless Fiorentina.

With this favourable run of fixtures, many Milano fans will quietly, but confidently, be thinking of potentially establishing a healthy lead at the top of the table come the middle of January.

Midfield Acquisitions

Over the summer, AC Milan made some important signings - most notably in midfield. 

Adrien Rabiot, Samuele Ricci, and former Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric all made the move to the fashion capital in the summer.

Rabiot has developed quite the reputation in Serie A thanks to his time at Juventus, where he made viewers aware of his physical prowess in the heart of the pitch - something which was evident in his top-notch performance against Inter back in November.

Samuele Ricci impressed many with his rise at Torino and quickly established himself as one of Italy's most promising midfielders. Typically playing in a deeper role, Ricci is known for his technical ability on the ball. Comfortable with both short and long-range passing, Ricci possesses the ability to dictate the tempo of a game.

Whilst he has not always been chosen to start, when called upon, he has shown his talent, and under the guidance of Luka Modric, there is little doubt there will be more to come in the future.

Those who watched Luka Modric in his last two seasons at Madrid may have thought we would never see him compete at the highest level again. How wrong we were.Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Since joining Milan on a free transfer in the summer, the iconic midfielder has been revived in the Serie A. Remarkably, he has started every game in Milan's league campaign so far, and arguably been the best player on the pitch every single time.

One of the major factors for AC Milan's downfall last season was a weak and incomplete midfield that could not control a game. These signings have fixed that.

Watch Serie A live on DAZN

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