Former Liverpool striker Divock Origi has opened his Serie A account in some style, just a month after being dubbed a "disaster".
The Belgian international left the Reds over the summer after eight years at Anfield, during which time he scored memorable goals in the Premier League and Champions League. However, a slow start at the San Siro saw some get on his back within weeks of his arrival.
The best way to respond to criticism is to answer your critics on the pitch, and that's exactly what he did. Origi provided a goal and an assist in Milan's victory over Monza, and he'll hope it's just the start.
Origi was predominantly used as a squad player at Liverpool, and the same applied after he moved to the San Siro on a free. However, after a tough first few weeks, he was dubbed the worst signing of the season with the move described as a disaster.
The game against Monza was his first start for the Rossoneri, after a handful of appearances from the bench and some games missed through injury, and he made it count. His first assist came for Brahim Diaz's goal just before the break, but the best was yet to come.
After collecting the ball from Junior Messias just outside the box, he blasted the ball into the top corner to give goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio no chance. Based on his reaction, the former Lille man seemed to enjoy it a lot.
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“Origi is finally fine, he got rid of the bad injury that was blocking him," Milan manager Stefano Pioli said after the game (via OneFootball ). "He didn’t feel free, loose. He finally made a left-footed shot, it’s an important signal for him. We have two strikers that we can alternate.”
Origi was brought to the club to offer an alternative to Olivier Giroud in attack. However, thanks to the Belgian's issues, the French veteran has been chosen to lead the line in all four of Milan's Champions League games while also playing regularly in the league.
Milan's next game comes against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League. A 3-1 victory over the Croatian side is the only win Pioli's side have recorded in this year's competition, and they will be pushing for a victory to avoid suffering a group stage elimination for a second successive season.
The victory over Monza saw Milan draw level with Napoli on 26 points at the top of the table, though Luciano Spalletti's team have a game in hand. It was a fourth league victory on the spin for last season's Serie A champions, and a sixth in seven outings.
