AC Milan stretched their unbeaten start in Serie A to eight games with a comfortable 2-0 win away at Udinese, moving up to fourth and within four points of leaders Inter and Lazio.
Ruben Amorim's side were ahead inside six minutes, when Christian Pulisic latched on to Luka Modric's quickly taken free-kick over the top and finished past Maduka Okoye. Milan had 60 per cent of the ball and should have been further ahead by half-time, with Davide Bartesaghi wasting two clear chances.
Omari Hutchinson doubled the lead on 65 minutes, pouncing after Okoye spilled Ardon Jashari's long-range shot, and Mike Maignan made a late save from Keinan Davis to keep a third clean sheet of the season. Milan finished with 2.84 expected goals (xG) to Udinese's 0.44, as the hosts slipped to a sixth straight league defeat. Below, GOAL rates the Milan players from the Bluenergy Stadium.
Mike Maignan - 7/10Mike Maignan had a fairly quiet evening but stayed alert, making five saves, most of them from long-range efforts. His biggest moment came on 81 minutes, when he palmed away Keinan Davis' close-range volley and smothered it on the line to protect the lead.
Sankhoun Diawara - 7/10Sankhoun Diawara was handed his Milan debut at left-back, with injuries limiting Amorim's options, and was disciplined, sitting in behind Bartesaghi. He tracked back to make a vital sliding block on a dangerous Udinese cross on 72 minutes.
Strahinja Pavlovic - 7/10Strahinja Pavlovic was aggressive and front-footed, cutting out several crosses into the box. He also headed narrowly wide from a corner just before half-time.
Koni De Winter - 7/10Koni De Winter read the game well and made a string of interceptions, winning most of his aerial battles. His foul on Davis, though, led to the free-kick for Udinese's best chance of the night.
Fikayo Tomori - 7/10Fikayo Tomori was lively from right-back, delivering a dangerous cross that Bartesaghi and Pulisic should have converted and missing a close-range chance of his own on 27 minutes. He also won the ball back in the move for Milan's second goal before making way on 73 minutes.
Davide Bartesaghi - 6/10Davide Bartesaghi was busy on the left for 85 minutes and kept getting into dangerous positions, but he should have doubled the lead before the break. He got in Pulisic's way at the far post on 40 minutes and saw a shot blocked by Christian Kabasele moments later.
Ardon Jashari - 7/10Ardon Jashari linked the defence and attack neatly, often dropping between the centre-backs to start moves. His powerful long-range shot was spilled by Okoye for Milan's second goal, and his press with Pulisic created the chance for Ramos that hit the bar.
Luka Modric - 8/10Luka Modric, wearing the armband, picked out Pulisic with a quickly taken free-kick over the top for the opener and also sent Tomori clear for Milan's best chance of the first half. He dictated the tempo for the full 90 minutes and was booked late on.
Christian Pulisic - 8/10Christian Pulisic timed his run perfectly to score the opener after six minutes. Given a free role behind Ramos, he created chances for Bartesaghi and Tomori and forced Okoye into a sharp save on the hour.
Omari Hutchinson - 8/10Omari Hutchinson grew into the game and scored his first Milan goal on 65 minutes, laying the ball off to Jashari and reacting first when Okoye spilled the shot. He was replaced shortly afterwards, on 73 minutes.
Goncalo Ramos - 6/10Goncalo Ramos played on after taking an elbow to the face in the first half and was booked on 39 minutes for wrestling James Abankwah to the ground. Okoye tipped his close-range effort on to the bar on 75 minutes, and he was withdrawn in stoppage time.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek - 6/10Ruben Loftus-Cheek came on for Hutchinson on 73 minutes and forced Okoye into a save from close range, but his cameo was cut short by an injury in stoppage time.
Yunus Musah - 6/10Yunus Musah replaced Tomori on 73 minutes and helped Milan see out the final stages without much alarm.
Alphadjo Cisse - N/AAlphadjo Cisse came on for Bartesaghi on 85 minutes and had two efforts at goal, one of them saved by Okoye.
Francesco Camarda - N/AFrancesco Camarda was brought on for Ramos in stoppage time.
Christian Comotto - N/AChristian Comotto replaced the injured Loftus-Cheek in stoppage time.
Ruben Amorim (Manager) - 8/10Ruben Amorim's side controlled the game from the start and could have won by more. The result keeps him unbeaten in his first eight Serie A games in charge.
