FT: Milan 4-0 SPAL: Patrick Cutrone repays Gattuso’s faith with brace

Lineups!

First Half

After much speculation, Gennaro Gattuso decided it would be Patrick Cutrone who would get the nod to start between Suso and Hakan. And boy, did that choice pay off early for AC Milan.

The poacher’s delight was to be the meal of choice this morning. However, that would prove to be the highlight of the first half as two yellow cards for midfielders for Franck Kessie and Lucas Biglia spelled for a timid close to the first half, and will obviously factor for the Rossoneri in the second 45.

@ACMilanMichael is spot on. Lots of bodies on both sides were hitting the ground rather lightly. It led to many unnecessary turnovers that just killed any build up play. Credit SPAL for tightening play and slowing down the attack of Milan. Everyone knew Milan would come out firing looking to put up goals early, and they did. However, it would be SPAL who would adjust their style of play first, and Milan looked a bit rattled, at least for the last 20 minutes. The worrying bit is SPAL has forced a draw in four of their last five matches, Milan will need to figure out how to break them down, and quick.

Second Half

The second half started much like the first. SPAL was resilient in their defensive half, while Milan looked to find a way to break them down. It may have taken 70 minutes, but Milan finally unlocked SPAL’s defensive lines and the goals just poured in. Suso would prove to be the main spark, as he has been for quite some time. The perpetual Spanish engine, fired into box and who else but Patrick Cutrone to clean up.

The match was pretty much won at this point as SPAL looked completely deflated. Which was a prime reason for giving up this practice pitch goal to Lucas Biglia, who scored his first goal for the club.

In the closing minutes of injury time, Milan were not finished. It would be substitute Fabio Borini who would come on for Franck Kessie, and he wanted to join in on the fun. Borini rocketed a bullet off his left foot, passed the diving keeper, finding the top corner.

That’s how the match would end. Our man of the match is easily Patrick Cutrone. Sure, Suso provided all of those opportunities throughout the match, but Cutrone was given a job to do by Gattuso and he excelled. It is a tad worrisome it took so long to break down the bottom tabled SPAL, but in the end, the Rossoneri took care of business.

Who was your man of the match?