Milan's start to the Serie A season has produced results without yet producing conviction. A 1-1 draw at Juventus on matchday three left the club with seven points from three games, level with their hosts and sitting fifth in the table. Ruben Amorim was candid after the final whistle, admitting his side did not deserve to win and that Juventus had no cause to feel hard done by. That kind of honesty reflects a team still finding its identity under its manager.

The central problem is in the attacking third. With Rafael Leao sold, Milan need someone to carry creative responsibility, and that player was supposed to be Christian Pulisic. Instead, Amorim confirmed after the Juventus game that the American simply cannot play right now, a significant blow given Pulisic had been one of the club's standout performers through the first half of last season. Without him, the attack has looked flat and predictable, too reliant on players operating out of position.

The one bright spot is Alpha Cisse. The young forward came off the bench at the Allianz Stadium and scored a fine individual goal that nearly won the game, repeating the impact he made on matchday one at Torino. His form has earned him a call-up to the Italy senior squad, with Roberto Mancini reportedly set to include him in his latest selection. Next up is a trip to Lazio on September 12, a fixture that will test whether this Milan can grind out results while their key creative players remain unavailable.