AC Milan coach Rino Gattuso acknowledges he was under pressure ahead of victory over SPAL.

There was talk he could be sacked if they lost.

Gattuso said, “The Milan jersey and history of this club naturally means people expect more, including the club owners, Leonardo and Paolo Maldini too.

“This team can give more, even if we have many young players who need to gain experience. Every time we look as if we're ready to make the step up to the next level, we fall down, and that's where we have to improve.

“We also have to deal with players who can make mistakes and the San Siro crowd does not let anything go, but remember this is a tough league.

“All I can bring is honesty. We look each other in the eyes with respect and clarity every day, as those are the elements we need to sort things out."