After a tentative start to the season, Milan are now in full swing and in their last 12 games, their record has been an excellent 11-1-0, with their only dropped points coming away to Cagliari (0-0) at the start of last month; their 1-0 win over Braga in the Uefa Cup midweek was their 6 successive win.

They are top of Serie A, by one point from Udinese and Inter and if their form continues, they should be challenging for honours at the end of the season.

Lecce, meanwhile are 13th with just 11 points from their first 10 games; they have now gone 5 games without a win, but only lost one of those games and despite their lack of wins, manager Mario Beretta will be content with their performances after their promotion from Serie B last season.

They have been a hard side to beat, especially at home; they are unbeaten at home this season (2-3-0) and including their superb performances in Lecce last season in Serie B, they have been beaten just once at home in the last calendar year.

Despite their winning form and their odds (at a best of $1.60 to win), Milan may find this a difficult game to win; Lecce have drawn 4 out of their last 5 and have limited decent sides in Udinese (1-1) and Lazio (1-1) so far this season – the $3.60 offered for the draw at Paddy Power has some value.

BETZINE UK TIP *****

Bet: Draw Odds: $3.60 Stake: 3pts Bookies: Paddy Power

Match Betting Previews 8-9 November 2008 >>> Premiership: Arsenal v Man United - Hull v Bolton - Liverpool v West Brom - Sunderland v Portsmouth - West Ham v Everton - Wigan v Stoke - Aston Villa v Middlesbrough - Blackburn v Chelsea - Fulham v Newcastle - Man City v Spurs La Liga: Barcelona v Valladolid - Real Madrid v Malaga - Getafe v Valencia Serie A: Inter v Udinese - Lecce v Milan - Napoli v Sampdoria Ligue 1: Monaco v Lyon - Grenoble v Marseille Bundesliga: Hamburg v Dortmund - Schalke v Bayern