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AC Milan maintained their 100% record for the 2020-21 campaign as they beat arch-rivals Inter Milan in the first Derby della Madonnina of the season on Saturday.
All three goals of the Serie A fixture were scored in the first half, with veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic netting twice for the Rossoneri and Romelu Lukaku pulling one back for the Nerazzurri just minutes later.
Inter Milan had 19 shots on goal and were looking particularly dominant in the second half but only six of them were on target. The Nerazzurri had six players ruled out of the game after they tested positive for COVID-19, and their absence was felt on the pitch as Antonio Conte's men kept getting caught on the counter-attack.
AC Milan conceded their first goal of the season but were very organised at the back, especially after conceding a goal from Lukaku. Simon Kjaer also made a brilliant headed clearance from the goal-line to deny Lautaro Martinez.
It was Zlatan Ibrahimovic's night
Zlatan Ibrahimovic marked his return after recovering from COVID-19 in typical Zlatan fashion, scoring both the goals for AC Milan in just three minutes.
The 39-year-old played the entire 90 minutes of the game and was a constant threat for his side. He somehow managed to find space between the Inter defenders with his intelligent movements. He made the most of Aleksandar Kolarov's clumsy challenge to win and then score the penalty after Samir Handanovic dived to his right to make an impressive save, only for the Swede to slot home a left-footed rebound.
As AC Milan moved to the top of the Serie A standings with a fourth consecutive win, we take a look at the five talking points from the intense derby.
#5 Defence remains a concern for Antonio Conte
AC Milan were able to go two goals up within 16 minutes on Saturday and with that, Inter had conceded their seventh and eighth goal of the season in just four games. They finished the 2019-20 season with the best defensive record in Serie A. However, as things stand, they have the third-worst defensive record in the league.
They were missing their two key defenders in Alessandro Bastoni and Milan Skriniar so it was expected that their defence would be a bit sloppy. However, the ease with which Rafael Leão and Hakan Çalhanoğlu found spaces behind the defenders was concerning.
Antonio Conte has a lot of attack-minded defenders in his ranks and needs to develop a few of them as solid defenders so that they are not caught off-guard in the absence of their key centre-backs.
#4 AC Milan have found their rhythm
AC Milan became the only side in Serie A with a 100% win record after four games with their impressive 2-1 over Inter on Saturday. This victory marked their first win over their city rivals since 2017.
AC Milan have certainly started the season with a bang. Despite not being the highest-scoring team in the division, their defensive solidity and strength in the midfield have made the goals count.
There were lot of positives to take away from the game including their seamless transition from defence to attack and the great distribution shown from Hakan Çalhanoğlu in the final third.
AC Milan finally seem to have found their rhythm and have an easy set of fixtures ahead of them, which means they are likely to continue their unbeaten run in the near future.
Also Read: Bologna vs Sassuolo prediction, preview, team news and more | Serie A 2020-21
#3 Romelu Lukaku is indispensable for Inter Milan
Inter Milan recorded 19 shots against AC Milan on Saturday. While only six of them were on target, Romelu Lukaku was able to find the back of the net, continuing his incredible form since the beginning of the campaign.
Though he failed to convert from his subsequent seven attempts, he was the biggest threat for Inter throughout the game. He battled well against Milan defenders and even won a penalty in the closing stages of the game after Donnarruma brought him down in the box, only for VAR to rule him offside before the incident.
He is thriving in Conte's current system but needs a better supply of the ball in the final third to give his best on the pitch. Revamping his side's attacking strategy should be next on Conte's list after he sorts out the defensive irregularities.
#2 Zlatan Ibrahimovic shows his class even at the age of 39
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's quick-fire brace proved to be the difference as AC Milan beat Inter Milan 2-1 to record their fourth win of the season. Of the nine goals scored by them this season, the Swede has scored four goals despite making just two appearances.
The fact that he can play the full 90 minutes and score a brace, defying his advanced age, is even more impressive when we consider the fact that the player had only recently recovered from COVID-19.
Signing the former Manchester United striker on a free transfer last December is proving to be one of their best transfer deals in recent years, and the player will likely continue to deliver for them in the coming days.
#1 Missed chances against AC Milan cost Inter Milan points from the game
Inter Milan will be kicking themselves for not converting their chances in the second half. They came tantalisingly close to equalising on multiple occasions, with the closest being Achraf Hakimi's heading attempt which fell inches wide from the target after finding himself unmarked in the box by Arturo Vidal's pass.
Had the Nerazzurri shown more conviction going forward, the outcome of the game could have been very different.
