Eljif Elmas headed home the decisive aim from Piotr Zielinski's 5th-minute nook at a freezing San Siro to end a mini-disaster for Luciano Spalletti's harm-ravaged side and put them 4 points at the back of champions Inter Milan.
Former league leaders Napoli regarded assured in spite of lacking a bunch of starters including celebrity striker Victor Osimhen, protective lynchpin Kalidou Koulibaly and Italy ahead Lorenzo Insigne and are returned on target after domestic defeats on the fingers of Atalanta and Empoli.
However they survived a overdue scare following a wave of overdue Milan pressure whilst Franck Kessie's past due leveller became disallowed following a VAR check, with Olivier Giroud ruled to have played a component within the aim at the same time as at the ground in an offside position.
That sparked fury from Milan fans within the stands, whose group were also missing some of first crew gamers, among them starting centre-lower back Simon Kjaer who is out for the season.
Stefano Pioli's aspect have been bumped down to 1/3 following that controversial ending but are stage on 39 factors with Napoli as 4 groups war for the 'Scudetto' with Atalanta lurking a further factors returned in fourth.
They all now head into the very last midweek spherical of furniture before the Christmas wreck hoping to preserve pace with Inter in Italy's maximum interesting identify race in years.
