AC Milan expecting 'a lot' from Christopher Nkunku as coach Max Allegri hails ex-Chelsea forward's 'extraordinary technique' ahead of possible first Serie A start

Eight games into the Serie A campaign, and Nkunku is yet to get a place in Allegri's starting lineup. However, when Milan travel to the Gewiss Stadium to face Atalanta on October 28 in a high-octane league clash, the Italian manager might consider giving him his full debut in the league. The 16-time capped French international has received only 63 minutes of playing time in the Serie A across four games. But his extraordinary technique, as mentioned by Allegri himself, might just be enough to make sure Nkunku accompanies Rafael Leao up front on Tuesday. 

Speaking to the reporters on the eve of the Atalanta clash, Allegri shed light about his team's probable attacking setup against the Bergamo-based side: "Leao can score a good number of goals, his fitness is improving, and he's becoming more confident in his abilities as a striker. He needs to improve in the penalty area, he needs to be more clinical. He can grow, like the rest of the team. Nkunku had been sidelined for a few days; he has extraordinary technique. I'll decide whether to start him or not: we expect a lot from him."

The head coach further spoke about the hectic schedule his team has to go through and the preparations ahead of tomorrow's game. He mentioned: "The schedule until the next break is difficult, but now we're focusing on tomorrow. Playing in Bergamo is tough and will be a direct blow, given that Atalanta is one of the contenders for the top four. We need to be consistent; we'll have to play well technically against a physical, quality team. We're doing well, and we're not thinking about the absentees; we have many other good players. The squad is strong, and as a whole, we'll improve further."

Although Milan had some injury concerns, Allegri has provided some good news for the fans. He has emphasised on the recovering players and outlined a possible game for their return. 

He said: "[Ruben] Loftus-Cheek is here. [Pervis] Estupinan is ready for Roma, and we hope to at least have Pulisic on the bench against Parma. After the break, against Inter, we hope to have the entire squad available. [Ardon] Jashari? He'll be back in the squad on Wednesday, but he'll need time: we'll be playing a friendly during the break, and that will be useful for him. The limited squad is my choice, and the club's. Let's look on the bright side: AC Milan players like [Davide] Bartesaghi, [Koni] De Winter, and Samuele Ricci have emerged."

Sitting third on the Serie A table, Milan's dreams of the Scudetto are very much alive. They have a one-point deficit with league leaders Napoli and second-placed Roma, who have the same points (18). Before the November international break commences, they will play three important games against Atalanta, Roma, and Parma. They have the joint third-best scoring form in the competition alongside fifth-placed Bologna. Only Inter (19) and Napoli (15) have more goals than them. The probable inclusion of Nkunku against Atalanta or in the upcoming fixtures, might come in handy in increasing their scoring tally this season.