AC Milan fought back from a goal down to beat Parma 2-1 and move back into Serie A’s top four.
A Patrick Cutrone strike and a Franck Kessie penalty, awarded after a VAR review, saw the Rossoneri overturn Roberto Inglese’s first-half opener and end a run of two league matches without a victory.
Parma players were far from pleased with the intervention from the video system, as their three-game unbeaten run came to an end at San Siro.
Milan’s first-half dominance yielded little more than two close efforts from the lively Suso, who was the biggest threat in attack in the absence of the suspended Gonzalo Higuain.
Riccardo Gagliolo somehow headed wide for the visitors from six yards, although a foul had been awarded against Antonino Barilla, but Milan’s set-piece frailties proved their undoing early in the second half.
Matteo Scozzarella whipped in a corner and Inglese escaped Kessie to glance a fine header past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Gattuso introduced Fabio Borini in the hope of inspiring a response, but it was Cutrone who levelled before the hour, steering a volley off the inside of the right-hand post and into the net, the goal standing after a VAR check.
Patrick strikes again!
Se c’è in campo Cutrone è gol! #MilanParma pic.twitter.com/6OHhXscvSy
— AC Milan (@acmilan) December 2, 2018
The video assistant came to Milan’s aid again 67 minutes in, when Alessandro Bastoni was eventually penalised for meeting a cross with outstretched arms, allowing Kessie to rifle home from the spot.
Alberto Grassi steered wide after beating the offside trap with seven minutes to play, which proved to be the final opportunity for Parma to avoid a 14th defeat in 16 away games against Milan.
What does it mean? Rossoneri put pressure on top four
Defeat for Milan could have seen them slip four points behind Lazio by the end of Sunday’s action but are up into fourth – at least until the conclusion of the Roman club’s match with Chievo – to lend a shot in the arm to their ambitions of a Champions League return.
Consistency continues to elude Parma in terms of results, but D’Aversa cannot be too disappointed to see his side in the top six after 14 matches.
Kessie makes amends
Having lost concentration to allow Inglese to open the scoring, Kessie responded with an impressive performance, which included three chances created, a 91 per cent passing accuracy and a well-taken penalty.
Gervinho missing a spark
Gervinho only managed 16 touches of the ball before he was hauled off 62 minutes in. Given his decent form during November, in which he scored in two 2-1 victories, this was a particularly anonymous outing.
Key Opta facts
– Milan have scored at least two goals in eight of their past nine Serie A home games, although they have now conceded in 10 consecutively. They last endured such a defensive streak in 2008 (11 games).
2+ – Milan have scored at least two goals in eight of their last nine Serie A home games. Abundance. #MilanParma pic.twitter.com/g3dlP1EfjX
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) December 2, 2018
– Inglese has scored in back-to-back away league games for Parma.
– All three of Cutrone’s goals in this league this season have come in home games.
– Kessie has scored four of his five penalties in Serie A with Milan and a total of six out of seven in the competition. It was the fourth penalty goal Parma have conceded this season – the most in Serie A.
What’s next?
Milan host Torino next Sunday, the same day Parma face Chievo at the Ennio Tardini.
