AC Milan 0-2 Arsenal: Player Ratings
Full-time score: Milan 0-2 Arsenal
Goalscorers: Henrikh Mkhitaryan 15', Aaron Ramsey 45+3'
Arsenal put an end to Milan's 12-game unbeaten run in all competitions with a commanding 2-0 win over the Serie A giants at the San Siro in their Europa League tie last night. The Gunners needed a victory at any cost to keep their season alive after a disappointing run of results saw them lose all of their previous four games.
Milan started the game with more intent but failed to put their chances to bed and paid the price for the same when Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored against the run of play in the 15th minute to break the deadlock. Arsenal slowly took control of the game and extended their lead just before the half-time break through Aaron Ramsey, who rounded the keeper and found the back of the net after being sent through on goal by the visitors' creator in chief on the night Mesut Ozil.
Arsene Wenger's men have a healthy advantage heading into the second leg at home next week and on that note, let's take a closer look at how the players from both sides fared under the lights at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza:
AC Milan
Gianluigi Donnarumma - 6/10
The Italian could not do an awful lot for the goals and was beaten twice in the first half, thanks to a deflected shot from Mkhitaryan and clever thinking from Ramsey. He had a decent game otherwise and never looked like committing any errors.
Davide Calabria - 5/10
Calabria was made to work his socks off by Mkhitaryan, who ran riot on the flanks for Arsenal on the night. The right-back was pegged back to his own half for the majority of the game and enjoyed very little involvement while going forward.
Leonardo Bonucci - 6/10
Milan's skipper was confident on the ball and trusted his abilities to play out from the back more often than not. Bonucci also emerged as a potential threat from set-pieces but he failed to inspire his side to turn the tide in their favour. Unlucky ricochet in the build-up to the first goal would disappoint him.
Alessio Romagnoli - 6/10
Romagnoli had a fairly smooth game against the Gunners alongside Bonucci at the heart of the Milan defence. The defender failed to prevent Arsenal from scoring but he did well to resist the threat offered by Danny Welbeck on the night.
Ricardo Rodriguez - 5/10
The Swiss international did not have the best of games especially because he was forced to stay put in his own half for large periods in the game. Rodriguez His strengths are going forward but Arsenal's attacking presence didn't allow him to do that.
Franck Kessie - 6/10
Kessie was part of a midfield three that was completely outdone by Arsenal on the night and struggled to track the runs of Ramsey and Wilshere from midfield. The Ivorian failed to stamp his authority on the game and faded off eventually.
Lucas Biglia - 6/10
The Argentine was perhaps better than the two other players deployed alongside him by Gennaro Gattuso on the night. Biglia was strong on the ball and was always trying to act as the catalyst to bring Milan back to the game.
Giacomo Bonaventura - 5/10
Bonaventura had a disappointing night, to say the least, plenty of misplaced passes and he showed little confidence on the ball. The midfielder was a shadow of his usual self and will be looking for a better output in the second leg.
Suso - 6/10
Suso was considered one of the key players but the former Liverpool winger failed to provide any sort of creativity for the team on the night. The Spaniard had a bright start to the game but he failed to keep it up and hardly caused the Arsenal defence any problems.
Patrick Cutrone - 5/10
The striker will feel that he should've done better with the opportunities that fell kindly to him in the first few minutes of the game. Cutrone failed to utilise the opening and was left to rue his misses by the end of the game.
Hakan Calhanoglu - 6/10
The Turkish international was not at his influential best for the hosts as they struggled for creativity and flair inside the final third for a majority of the game. His performance in the second half didn't improve as he was one of the first players to be withdrawn in the second half.
Substitutes
Nikola Kalinic - 5/10
The Croatian replaced Calhanoglu just after the hour mark and failed to deliver what was expected of him in the first place.
Andre Silva - 5/10
Milan's leading scorer in the tournament this year watched on from the sidelines until the 68th minute when he came off the bench to replace Cutrone. However, Silva failed to get Milan back on track.
Fabio Borini - N/A
The Italian replaced Calabria in the 80th minute and was provided with too little time to make an impact on the game.