UDINESE v AC MILAN: DUELS

It's the first matchday on which AC Milan are the sole league leaders as the Rossoneri take on Udinese away home on Serie A matchday 17. The Bianconeri aren't in the best of form at present, as shown by the managerial change at the start of the week, but they are still a tough side to beat with plenty of quality of their own - as shown by these duels. As usual, we are going to present four key individual battles ahead of the match, here they are:

BETO v ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIĆ
Both have scored six league goals this season and both are sure to be at the heart of the action at the Dacia Arena tomorrow. The Portuguese striker, who joined Udinese in the summer from Portimonense, has scored with a quarter of his total attempts this season (13 on target, 11 off target - club high in both regards). Furthermore, Udinese have never lost a match, in which he has scored (W1, D4). Ibra, meanwhile, is on a run of four away games with a goal and is one goal away from 300 scored in Europe's Top-5 Leagues since the turn of the millennium.

BRAM NUYTINCK v FIKAYO TOMORI
These are two centre-backs that possess plenty of physical prowess and will be called upon to lead their respective defensive lines due to the absences - Samir (suspended) and Kjær (injured) - of their two most usual partners. The Dutch defender - Udinese's captain - is a key part of the Bianconeri's build-up play (415 passes completed in his own half), as well as being adept at protecting his own goal (20 shots blocked this season). Tomori is a ball-playing centre-back at the heart of the Rossoneri's defence; he leads his team for passes completed (775, 559 of which in his own half), duels won (30) and clearances (42).

GERARD DEULOFEU v BRAHIM DÍAZ
A face-off between two Spanish number 10s, who have been having good seasons up to now. The Bianconeri's man - formerly of AC Milan with 17 appearances and four goals in 2016/17 - has bagged four goals and two assists in the current campaign. Furthermore, Deuolofeu is third in the league for chances created (32) and has completed a club-high 63 crosses and 55 dribbles this season. Brahim, meanwhile, has scored three and assisted three and is on the hunt for his first goal since 25 September in La Spezia and confirm that he is somewhat of a good charm; when Díaz has scored in the league, AC Milan have always won.  

WALACE v SANDRO TONALI
The final duel that we want to present to you is between two box-to-box midfielders. Udinese's Brazilian - a gold medal winner at the 2016 Olympics in Rio - is in his third season in Friuli. He leads the team for passes - both in total and in the opposition half - as well as being third in Serie A for shots taken without scoring (22). Tonali has now become a key figure in the heart of Pioli's midfield; he is, alongside Saelemaekers, the only Rossoneri player to have featured in every league game this season and leads the club in terms of attempted crosses (56).

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