Rome: AC Milan will be looking to assert its new status as the Serie A favorite on Saturday against rival Juventus, which is missing key players Milos Krasic, Amauri and Vincenzo Iaquinta.
Bookmakers this week moved Milan ahead of city rival Inter Milan as the title favorite, with current leader Lazio expected to fade.
While Zlatan Ibrahimovic had already made an impact, Milan's other big new signing, Robinho, has also started to contribute, scoring twice in the Rossoneri's last two matches.
With Alexandre Pato leading the way with four goals and Ronaldinho also in the mix, Milan has the most feared attack in Italy.
"With this squad, we're obliged to fight for the title," Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said.
While Juventus leads the Serie A with 16 goals scored, the Turin club won't have many options in attack this weekend without forwards Amauri, who is out with an injured right Achilles tendon, and Iaquinta, who has a problem with his right knee.
Serbia winger Krasic, meanwhile, was banned for two games for diving to earn a penalty kick in a 0-0 draw at Bologna last weekend. And standout goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is yet to play this season as he recovers from back surgery.
The absences make no difference for Galliani, who pointed out how fourth-choice fullback Massimo Oddo provided two assists for Milan in a win at Napoli this week.
"Twenty-five years with Milan have taught me to just let things fall into place. Somebody will replace Krasic and who knows, Juve could win with a goal from his substitute," Galliani said.
Juventus' 35-year-old captain Alessandro Del Piero and Fabio Quagliarella will likely get the nods in attack for the Bianconeri.
Lazio, which holds a two-point lead over Milan, visits on Sunday a Palermo side that has already won 3-1 at Juventus this season.
Trading in Lazio shares was suspended on the Milan stock exchange on Monday after a nearly 26 per cent rise, a day after a 2-1 win over Cagliari. Palermo, however, could provide a tougher test.
The Sicilian club has several dangerous forwards, led by 21-year-old Argentina forward Javier Pastore, whose worth on the transfer market is reportedly already in the € 50 million ($ 70 million) range.
Lazio manager Edy Reja has acknowledged that his squad's goal isn't winning the title but rather finishing in the top four to qualify for the Champions League.
"We're going through a particularly favorable phase and nobody has gifted us anything up to this point but Europe, not the title, is our objective," he said.
Inter, which trails Lazio by four points, visits Genoa on Friday still without injured striker Diego Milito, who was surprisingly left off the list of Golden Ball nominations.
Inter had to rally from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Sampdoria last weekend and is visibly struggling in attack, having let Mario Balotelli transfer to Manchester City. Fortunately, Samuel Eto'o is in splendid form and keeps on rescuing the European champions, with seven goals in eight Serie-A matches so far.
Struggling Roma, which has won only two of eight games, hosts Lecce with coach Claudio Ranieri's job on the line and without key midfielder David Pizarro, who injured a thigh muscle in midweek training. He could be out long term.
Another struggling club, Fiorentina, will have Adrian Mutu back after a nine-month doping ban when the Viola visit Catania.
Also this weekend, it's Bari vs Udinese, Brescia vs Napoli, Cagliari vs Bologna, Cesena vs Sampdoria and Parma vs Chievo Verona.
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