Junior Messias' goal secure all three points for the Rossoneri.

         AC Milan players celebrate scoring against Monza

Junior Messias' goal secured a 1-0 win for AC Milan against Monza, propelling the team into the top four of Serie A.

Monza, who came into the game as the only unbeaten team in 2023, had a fast start and threatened Milan's defense twice. However, Messias fired the ball into the net just after the half-hour mark, putting Milan in the lead.

Despite their efforts, Monza failed to equalize and Silvion Berlusconi, their owner and former Milan owner, was unable to get a win over his former club.

Milan claimed the victory without relying on Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who remained an unused substitute, and moved above Atalanta and Roma into third place.

The match was a lively affair, with Monza putting up a good fight, but in the end, it was Milan who emerged victorious.

The game saw Ciprian Tatarusanu making two saves within the first two minutes, denying attempts from Patrick Ciurria and Andrea Petagna. 

Milan's Rafael Leao saw his shot brush the post as the match progressed, while Michele Di Gregorio made two saves to keep Milan's Brahim Diaz and Fikayo Tomori at bay.

However, Milan managed to take the lead in the 31st minute, as Messias' powerful left-footed volley found the bottom-right corner, despite Di Gregorio getting a hand to it.

Monza came close to equalizing with Ciurria's 20-yard shot hitting the post with just 17 minutes remaining. But Milan managed to hold on to their lead, with Charles De Ketelaere almost scoring a second late on.

The win saw Milan continuing their upturn in form, following a run of seven games without a victory in all competitions, which had put their Scudetto defense and top-four hopes in doubt.

Although the race for Champions League qualification is still highly competitive, Milan's three-match winning run has rejuvenated their campaign, which was previously in danger of fizzling out.

The decision made by Pioli to shift to a formation with three defenders was met with heavy criticism from Milan icon Arrigo Sacchi in recent times. However, the effectiveness of the wingbacks, Theo Hernandez and Messias, proved crucial as Milan managed to control a formidable Monza side.

While Messias drew attention with his third league goal this season and his eight duels won jointly with Pierre Kalulu, Henandez also played a crucial role by creating the highest number of scoring chances in the game with a tally of three.

Tatarusanu shines

With regular goalkeeper Mike Maignan out injured for a significant portion of the season, replacement goalkeeper Tatarusanu showcased his skills with an impressive performance, making a total of five saves and denying Monza any goals.

The Romanian also demonstrated good command of his area throughout the game, as Milan managed to avoid a third straight away league defeat for the first time in almost four years, since October 2017.