Given the way in which the game played out, 10-man AC Milan were fortunate to come away with a point at Udinese in a 1-1 draw on Sunday afternoon. Suso's sensational strike deserved to be the winner, but the Rossoneri weren't able to hold on and were forced to share the spoils after a deflection went in off Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Positives
There were periods in the game in which Milan asserted themselves well, controlled the tempo and possession, and looked comfortable while threatening to score a second. After a poor run of form, seeing Suso back on the scoresheet was crucial too.
Negatives
Ultimately, Milan rode their luck and it could easily have been a very different scoreline. The defence weren't tight enough, the midfield were too often bypassed with little resistance and Udinese undoubtedly looked the more threatening side as the game went on.
Manager rating out of 10
6 -- It was too easy for Udinese to break out and attack Milan's backline, and while the players should have taken the initiative and responsibility to react, Gennaro Gattuso's tactical set-up was off. In addition, he arguably should have brought on Patrick Cutrone after the sending off to give the team more intensity and energy.
Player ratings out of 10 (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Gianluigi Donnarumma, 6 -- A mixed bag from the goalkeeper, as he produced some key saves but also made some questionable decisions. Criticism on the goal seems harsh, as the deflection made it difficult for him.
DF Ignazio Abate, 6 -- The veteran is settling into a pattern: he is often decent defensively but doesn't offer a great deal going forward. He did run up in support of Suso, but there were instances where he gave Udinese far too much time and space on his flank.
DF Leonardo Bonucci, 6 -- Didn't deal with Kevin Lasagna well enough at all, and the same goes for his central defensive partner. However, out of the two, he looked more shaky with an inability to deal with balls over the top and in behind.
DF Alessio Romagnoli, 7 -- Edges Bonucci slightly as he often swept up and looked more assured on the ball, but that isn't to suggest that he was comfortable with Lasagna either. It was a dip for the defensive duo after looking good in recent weeks.
DF Davide Calabria, 5 -- Ruined a good display with a silly second yellow card to leave his teammates in a hole. Continues to impress for the most part, even when switching over to the left, but ultimately gets marked down for the sending off.
MF Franck Kessie, 6 -- Another great shift from the Ivorian as he was combative off the ball and a powerful driving force too. A criticism of the midfield as a whole though was that there wasn't enough defensive protection as Udinese continued to threaten, particularly in the second half.
MF Lucas Biglia, 5 -- Seems to impress many fans, and there are elements of his game that are crucial. On this occasion, it felt as though he was the weak link as the game bypassed him. Udinese exploited the gap between the defence and midfield -- where he should have been.
MF Giacomo Bonaventura, 6 -- Not the greatest of performances but had his moments and looked a threat. Can certainly be more influential and had to be more decisive in a game like this to tip the balance.
FW Suso, 7 -- What a relief to see him back on the scoresheet and looking confident. The Spaniard has been struggling badly in recent weeks, but this was a much better performance as his goal was sublime and he was once again Milan's most effective attacking outlet.
FW Andre Silva, 5 -- Unfortunately, he wasn't able to make the most of his opportunity after a painful wait to see him back involved in Serie A. Made a mess of a great chance in the first half, and although there were glimpses of class, it wasn't enough. Perhaps harsh to expect so much in his first game back, but he has to produce when he's involved.
FW Hakan Calhanoglu, 6 -- Played well in the first half as he continued to show his class and ability as a creative spark. However, his influence waned as the game went on; he got tired and wasn't involved as much as he needed to be.
Substitutes
DF Luca Antonelli, 6 -- Brought on to cover the left flank after Calabria's sending off and did a relatively decent job of stopping Udinese's threat down that side of the pitch.
FW Nikola Kalinic, 6 -- Showed the right approach and spirit to offer Milan an outlet up top with 10 men, but Cutrone would have been the right man to give Milan a chance of winning it.
MF Fabio Borini, N/A -- Did his best to help protect the point as he chased things down and worked hard off the ball to put pressure on Udinese.