Allegri rates Milan a title contender
Massimiliano Allegri believes AC Milan's 1-0 derby win over Inter confirmed its status as genuine contender in Serie A, pushing back on claims it has more points than it deserves.
The result saw Milan leapfrog its rival to go second in the table, with Roma now the Scudetto frontrunner, two points clear of Allegri's side.
"I think the points we have are what we deserve, because we could've drawn easily with Napoli and Roma, so it all balances out," Allegri said.
"This match confirmed our season since the start, which is when we had to set the tempo. We didn't always do it, conceding goals against Cremonese, Parma and Pisa.
"When it's a top-level match, you are more determined, you stay plugged in for longer, and so we must understand that when we let the intensity drop, we become vulnerable.
"On a psychological level, this is an important win, as staying in the top four was what we wanted."
Milan has gone six games unbeaten against Inter in all competitions, winning four and drawing two, its longest such run in the Derby della Madonnina since a 10-match stretch that ended in April 2005.
"It was a great victory, an entertaining match. We started a little tense in the first 15 minutes, but then we loosened up," Allegri said. "We had four or five situations where we could have made better choices in the final third, especially when it came to sending Pulisic and [Alexis] Saelemaekers forward.
"We needed to be more accurate on the crosses, then in the second half once we scored, it was natural Inter would fight back.
"We had a few favourable situations with Rafael Leao one-on-one, we defended well with preventative marking, which was important against Inter, when they can be lethal playing their way out of the first press."
Milan faces Lazio in each of its next two games, in Serie A on Saturday and in the Coppa Italia on 4 December.
