AC Milan secured a 2-0 win over Salernitana on Saturday to record back-to-back wins and temporarily go top of Serie A.
The Rossoneri ended a two-game losing streak in Serie A in midweek with a victory at Genoa, and Stefano Pioli and his players were aiming to rediscover their form and start building momentum again.
READ MORE: How back-to-back heavy defeats reveal Tomori importance to Milan
Goals from Franck Kessie and Alexis Saelemaekers ensured we did that, albeit we were wasteful throughout as while we were comfortable, it could have been much more comprehensive.
Nevertheless, it’s a win that sets us up well for the Champions League showdown with Liverpool on Tuesday night, and it’s hoped we can make it three wins in a row and secure a passage through to the knockout stage.
AC Milan player ratings vs Salernitana:
Mike Maignan, 6 – Little to do from a goalkeeping perspective as Milan were never under any real threat, so his afternoon was limited to helping us build out from the back with accurate passing.
Alessandro Florenzi, 6.5 – Kept things tight defensively and was able to push forward and offer us width and an option down the right flank.
Fikayo Tomori, 6.5 – Switched on throughout and when called into action, carried out his defensive duties without any fuss.
Alessio Romagnoli, 6.5 – Similar to Tomori in that he didn’t really have to do much defensively and was able to help control possession and build up our play.
Theo Hernandez, 6.5 – Good shift as he was able to burst forward regularly without any major concern about getting caught out. A little inaccurate with his passing, came off early to get some rest.
Franck Kessie, 7 – Broke the deadlock with a nice finish, dominated in midfield both in terms of his tackles and passing. Only disappointing element of his performance was that he probably could, and should, have had another goal to his name.
Tiemoue Bakayoko, 5.5 – A decent outing without ever really stamping his mark on the game. Picked up an avoidable yellow card which then influenced his game.
Alexis Saelemaekers, 7 – A top finish from the Belgian to double our lead as he showcased some real quality in front of goal. Worked hard throughout and put in a real shift as we continued to probe in the final third.
Brahim Diaz, 6.5 – A creative hub for us but will be disappointed not to have grabbed a goal or two for himself. The positive thing is that he’s making things happen and is getting into the right positions, but it’s about being decisive consistently.
Rafael Leao, 6.5 – Caused Salernitana problems with his pace and skill, and it was never more evident than in the build-up for our first goal as he provided a key assist. Another important player who was able to rest in the second half ahead of Liverpool in midweek.
Pietro Pellegri, N/A – Hugely frustrating for him to pick up an injury just 14 minutes into his first start and so it’s hoped that it’s not a long-term issue.
Substitutions:
Rade Krunic, 6.5 – Showed real intelligence by adapting to a different position and role and played his part. Deployed as a false nine by Pioli and did well while also allowing Zlatan Ibrahimovic to have the night off.
Messias Junior, 6.5 – A real drive and desire to make things happen and linked up well with his teammates down that right side. Threatened with a shot on goal but couldn’t find the back of the net in this one.
Ismael Bennacer, 6 – Sustained our control over possession and the tempo of the game with an important shift in midfield.
Fode Ballo-Toure, 6 – Tidy outing as he came on and kept things simple down the left flank without ever really taking too many risks.
Sandro Tonali, N/A
