Milan's season is taking shape in contradictory fashion, and the 2-2 draw at Lazio captured that perfectly. Ruben Amorim's side were outplayed for the entire first half, trailing by two goals and looking short of the intensity and organisation their manager demands. The turnaround in the second half, sparked by the introduction of Pulisic and the explosive Diego Moreira, showed real character. Moreira's two goals in three minutes were the work of a player fully justifying the nearly 65 million euros Milan invested in him, and his emergence as a genuine starter on the left is one of the most encouraging developments of the early season.

Pulisic's return matters too. The American had not played a minute in Milan's first three league matches, and his impact after coming on at the Olimpico suggested he is close to full fitness. With Loftus-Cheek and Modric both struggling, Pulisic pressing for a starting place gives Amorim a real decision to make ahead of a busy schedule.

That schedule arrives quickly. Milan sit fifth in Serie A with eight points from four games, one behind the early pacesetters, and face Benfica at San Siro in the Europa League on September 16. Amorim has made clear that winning the UEFA Cup is a genuine ambition this season, making that home debut in Europe a fixture that carries real weight. The squad depth and consistency that the first month has questioned will be tested hard in the weeks ahead.