Saturday's emphatic victory over their arch-rivals means the Rossoneri have now opened up a five-point gap over Inter, with only seven games left to go in this season's Serie A.

Although this lead puts AC in pole position to win the Scudetto, Allegri has refused to talk up the significance of the derby victory.

"It is too early to talk of the championship but certainly we have a good shot of winning the league," Allegri told Eurosport after the match.

"We played good football and we continued to control the game after [Inter's Christian] Chivu's red card in the second half.

"The victory is well deserved."

Many suggested Allegri's men would hugely miss the presence of the suspended Zlatan Ibrahimovic up front, but Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato made a mockery of that notion, netting two goals. Strike partner Antonio Cassano scored the other.

"Pato had a great match in attack," Allegri praised.

"He did very well to find space in between their two centre-backs. It was one of his best games."

While Cassano did get on the scoresheet, he once again exhibited his penchant for self-destruction, when he earned a yellow card for taking of his shirt in celebration after scoring. That ultimately resulted in an early shower when he received a second yellow for a tackle minutes later.

Allegri, however, refused to publicly criticize his charge for his unnecessary goal celebration.

"I am sorry that Cassano was sent off but he does have this habit of removing his shirt."

When asked about the team's overall performance, Allegri was not afraid to disguise the fact that he was very pleased.

"On the whole it was a good evening though. Robinho played well and he had several chances to score.

"When the team is solid defensively, it gives confidence to all areas of the side. We were compact at all times today [Saturday]."

Rossoneri fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that their side do not slip up in the remaining seven league games, and hope that AC Milan will reign as champions of Italy for the first time since 2004.