Jeremy Menez nets as Milan down Napoli

This result allows the Rossoneri to match their opponents on 24 points and climb into joint sixth position, just two points off the cluster of Genoa, Sampdoria and Lazio in third.

The hosts hadn’t won this fixture since February 2011, managing only two draws and a defeat. Fernando Torres was a late addition to the absentee list after coming down with flu, joining Ignazio Abate, Alex, Mattia De Sciglio, Marco van Ginkel and Hachim Mastour. Marek Hamsik was surprisingly dropped, so Giandomenico Mesto wore the captain’s armband and came in for the suspended Christian Maggio.

It took just five minutes for Milan to break the deadlock. Menez ran on to a through ball, turned on the turbo to skip between a crowd of defenders and placed a precise snooker shot across Rafael to the far bottom corner. This was the Frenchman’s eighth goal of the season, setting a new personal best.

Gonzalo Higuain had the ball in the net, but only after a foul on Diego Lopez. The Milan goalkeeper had to be alert with a double save on David Lopez and the Jose Callejon follow-up, then denied Callejon again on the counter-attack.

Riccardo Montolivo’s snapshot was deflected out for a corner, while Andrea Poli dribbled past two challenges to curl his finish just past the far post.

Philippe Mexes was inches away from scoring an own goal, but prevented Jonathan de Guzman tapping in a Higuain assist from five yards.

Napoli were more aggressive after the break, but that just left them more open at the back and Giacomo Bonaventura was allowed a totally free header from six yards on Pablo Armero’s cross from the left.

It should’ve been 3-0 when Menez rolled across for Poli, but the ex-Sampdoria midfielder’s first touch let him down when clear on goal. Riccardo Montolivo also fired wide on the counter set up by Keisuke Honda.

Menez almost scored a sensational goal, as he slalomed through three defenders only for Koulibaly to deflect the finish over the bar.

Adil Rami added to Milan’s lengthy injury list and Duvan Zapata almost created a goal 30 seconds after coming on, as his cross for Higuainwas hoofed just past his own goal by Armero. Pipita also flashed a volley wide and Duvan deflected a Raul Albiol effort to scare Diego Lopez.

The Milan goalkeeper flew for a great save as Higuain’s screamer was arrowing into the near top corner and smothered a Duvan Zapata header in stoppages.