Juventus defeat AC Milan to cut gap at the top of Serie A table

Juventus were looking for a win to take them into the top four after a disappointing start to the season under Andrea Pirlo, while AC Milan - without veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic - wanted to extend their lead at the top of Serie A.

Their city rivals Inter Milan had earlier lost to Sampdoria, making it an excellent chance to capitalise on the misfortune of their rivals, but they started slowly and it was Chiesa and Paulo Dybala taunted the home side for much of the first half.

Chiesa’s smart finish from a clever Dybala backheel put Juventus ahead after 18 minutes, but Rafael Leao capped an impressive first half performance to set up Davide Calabria for an equaliser shortly before half-time. 

Just after the hour mark it was Chiesa again, curling in a shot to put his side ahead. While the club may in recent years have looked to Cristiano Ronaldo to inspire them during difficult periods, the Portuguese forward struggled to make an impact throughout the match.

It was a substitute, Weston McKennie, who sealed the win for Andrea Pirlo’s side when he converted from a Dejan Kulusevski cross, also introduced by the manager just minutes before the decisive moment.

Stefano Poli’s side could not find their way through again, giving Juventus hope for the rest of the season - they are now just seven points off the lead with a game in hand.

You can re-live the major moments of the match below.