AC Milan got the job done with a solid performance at home against Empoli, clinching all three points thanks to the odd goal. Christian Pulisic was the match-winner and below are the player ratings for the Rossoneri.
If you haven’t already, make sure to check out how we decide the player ratings. From the scale to what affects the rating, we have compiled everything there.
Starting XI
Maignan (6): He really wasn’t troubled by Empoli today, with only two shots on target, and he did what was necessary in the build-up phase. Perhaps you could argue that the clean sheet should give him a higher rating, but the away side were toothless going forward.
Calabria (6.5): The captain missed a good chance at the back post, failing to hit the target with his header, but aside from that he did very well. Strong in the duels and almost always present when going forward, which also helped Pulisic get a lot of space.
Thiaw (6-): Overall, he was solid and imposed himself in the duels, always covering a lot of ground in the initial defensive phase. Although he did enough to get a pass here, we put a minus next to his rating given the big mistake in the second half (which could have resulted in a goal). But 5.5 would have perhaps been harsh.
Tomori (6.5): He’s regaining match fitness, that is clear, and he showed off his trademark defending – with speed and an ability to take control of the ball – on a few occasions. With him on the pitch, Milan can certainly play with a higher line.
Hernandez (6.5): A solid performance with more than a few trademark runs to bump up the rating. When things started to get stale for Milan, his movements really helped bring Empoli out of their positions, and the Rossoneri were then able to dominate again.
Bennacer (6.5): He perhaps had a slow start to the game, misplacing some passes, but he picked up and ended up being a very important player. He’s still rather unpolished in certain situations, in which he normally would thrive, but that pass for Okafor before the goal was crucial.
Reijnders (6): The Dutchman covered a lot of ground, as per usual, and had a couple of good passes this afternoon. It wasn’t as spectacular as his mid-week display, though, but certainly good enough to get a pass here.
Pulisic (7.5 – MOTM): Even without the goal, he was probably the best Milan player on the pitch. He was involved in almost everything that the Rossoneri created and had more than one dangerous cross into the box. Really encouraging stuff as we sometimes have seen him struggle in the 1v1s.
Loftus-Cheek (7): His physicality really sets him apart from the rest and today, he used that strength perfectly. Time after time, he received the ball in the space between Empoli’s midfield and defence, almost making something happen in the following actions. And he was very unlucky not to get a goal with a lovely strike, well saved by the goalkeeper.
Okafor (6.5): He just misses out on a 7 here, as he could have been even more incisive during his 1v1 duels on the left flank. It was a really good run to create the goal, though, and it’s clear that with more consistent playing time, he could be fantastic for Milan.
Jovic (5.5): The Serbian wasn’t necessarily bad, but he struggled to get involved today and perhaps that was due to how Milan played. Giroud also didn’t have much of an impact, which we will get to, but still it is not enough for a 6 here.
Substitutes
Musah (6.5): Although he missed a good chance on the edge of the box, he showcased his main strength which is running with the ball without getting dispossessed. With Empoli desperate to win the ball back, this ability really helped Milan see out the game with ease.
Kalulu (6): He did what was needed and perhaps a little more, but it was a rather comfortable game to come into in fairness. Arguments for a 6.5 can be made, maybe with more time on the pitch.
Chukwueze (6): The Nigerian looked promising, let’s just get that out in the open immediately, using his silky moves in possession on a few occasions. However, he got a great chance on a counter-attack but the first touch was far from perfect then.
Giroud (N/A): We didn’t see enough of him today to give a rating. Very quiet just like Jovic, but obviously he had less time.
Adli (N/A): We didn’t see enough to give him a rating.
The manager
Pioli (6.5): It was a solid performance from Milan overall and the team actually played very well, especially up until the goal. To see out a game with this much comfortability should not be forgotten either, because stuff like that builds confidence.
