Milan in freefall ahead of Inter clash

Defending champions AC Milan play local rivals Inter on Sunday looking to emerge from a mid-season slump that has left them without a win in six games in all competitions and dropped them out of the Serie A title race.

Milan have won their last two Serie A derbies against Inter and are looking to make it three in a row against their rivals for the first time since a run of four straight league victories between 2002 and 2004.

After Milan prevailed 3-2 in the reverse fixture back in September, they could also do a league double over Inter for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign.

Yet Stefano Pioli's side are deep in crisis and without a win in four Serie A games, culminating in a 5-2 thrashing at home against 16th-placed Sassuolo in their last league outing.

Sunday's clash also comes a little over two weeks after Inter humiliated Milan 3-0 in Italy's Supercup. Pioli's side have conceded 12 goals in their last three games and let in 18 in the whole of January - the most they have ever conceded in a single month in all competitions.

Inter have had their own recent hiccups, losing 1-0 to mid-table Empoli, and drawing with Monza shortly after the season resumed in January. Yet last weekend's win over Cremonese moved them up to second in the standings.

"Derbies are special matches," Inter manager Simone Inzaghi said. "Milan is in a moment that is not positive, but we're talking about the Italian champions which made it to the Champions League last-16 after a long time. " Inzaghi also mentioned that defender Milan Skriniar will no longer wear the captain's armband with the Slovakia international set to leave the Serie A club for free at the end of the season.