Christian Pulisic shrugged off a fever to score twice for AC Milan, turning around a 2-0 deficit at Torino along with Adrien Rabiot`s screamer, but Rafael Leao went off injured.

The Rossoneri were fresh off their first competitive defeat since the opening weekend, crashing out of the Coppa Italia 1-0 to Lazio on Thursday, but knew a win here would keep them joint top of the table with Napoli. Pulisic was not originally part of the squad with a fever last night, so only travelled to join his teammates this afternoon, with Santiago Gimenez and Zachary Athekame still out. Toro were without a victory in five rounds, coming off back-to-back defeats against Como and Lecce. Giovanni Simeone joined Zanos Savva and Perr Schuurs on the treatment table.

Max Allegri watched from the stands, sitting out yet another touchline ban for dissent.

It was the worst possible start for Milan, because Fikayo Tomori clumsily flailed an arm and connected with the ball as Che Adams tried to turn in the box. It was spotted by the referee for a penalty, which Nikola Vlasic converted hard and low into the bottom corner, despite Mike Maignan getting his fingertips to it.

Torino doubled their lead when Adrien Tameze robbed Christopher Nkunku and sparked a counter-attack, which Duvan Zapata finalised by blasting through Strahinja Pavlovic`s legs from 11 yards to squirm under Maignan. The goalkeeper was furious in his protests that Nkunku was fouled, but the striker was just too weak in that challenge. It was Duvan Zapata`s first goal in well over a year, since his serious injury problems.

Milan pulled one back out of nowhere with a stunning long-range strike from Adrien Rabiot that arrowed into the far top corner, giving Franco Israel no chance. It was clocked at 29 metres out, the longest range goal for Milan since Keisuke Honda from 30 metres in February 2016 against Genoa.

Rafael Leao scuffed a finish wide, but it was during that move that he suddenly stopped and grimaced, limping off the field moments later clutching the top of his right thigh and adductor. He was replaced by Samuele Ricci, facing his former club.

The visitors began to take control of the game and Rabiot threatened a second when he volleyed the Alexis Saelemaekers cross wide of the far post.

After the restart, Ruben Loftus-Cheek pulled back from the by-line for a Nkunku back-heel flick, but Israel needed a big double save on the Davide Bartesaghi header at the far post and then denying Ricci`s attempt on the rebound too, both from point-blank range.

Vlasic and Marcus Pedersen bent finishes wide from outside the area, while Nkunku had penalty appeals rejected as he went down far too easily under a Guillermo Maripan nudge.

Pulisic was originally not in the squad due to a high fever and made the journey to Turin this afternoon, but was thrown on and equalised with his first touch. The Saelemaekers cross went over Pavlovic, he stopped it dead and fired in from eight yards.

Che Adams had the ball in the net, but only after Pedersen had crashed into the back of Saelemaekers for an obvious foul.

Toro also lost a player, as Adrien Tameze limped off and before Adam Masina was able to come on, they conceded a third goal. It was Pulisic again to turn the whole game around, as he peeled away for the cushioned half-volley off the inside of the left boot to meet the bouncing Ricci cross from eight yards. It was his seventh goal in just nine Serie A appearances this season.

Pulisic had the ball in the net for the third time, but the hat-trick didn`t count because Nkunku was already offside before rolling across the six-yard box. Zakaria Aboukhlal also got back for a decisive sliding tackle on another Pulisic counter-attack.

Pulisic: ‘I was dead in bed two days ago` before AC Milan winning brace

Christian Pulisic admits he was ‘dead in bed two days ago` after recovering to score twice in AC Milan`s 3-2 win away to Torino, while Adrien Rabiot describes his incredible goal.

The USMNT star wasn`t even in the squad until this afternoon, as he was in bed with a high fever last night and travelled up to join his teammates only a few hours before kick-off.

Nonetheless, he was the hero coming off the bench to score twice, turning around a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2 away to Torino, along with the Adrien Rabiot screamer from 29 metres out.

TURIN, ITALY - DECEMBER 08: Christian Pulisic of AC Milan celebrates scoring his team`s second goal during the Serie A match between Torino FC and AC Milan at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on December 08, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images)

"Two days ago I was dead in bed, but I felt much better today and I am very happy I came here and was able to help the team,"

Pulisic told Sky Sport Italia.

"I didn`t know yesterday if I could play, but this morning I felt much better. I`m happier with the win than the goals, honestly."

Remarkably, Pulisic has played less than in previous campaigns due to his various injury setbacks, yet has been more prolific with seven goals in just nine Serie A games.

"It has been a rather strange season, I do want to get more match fitness. We have to take it one game at a time and then we`ll see where we are at the end of the season."

The victory means that Milan stay top of the table alongside Napoli, one point clear of rivals Inter, and put the midweek disappointment of Coppa Italia exit to Lazio behind them.

"We started badly, but already midway through the first half we did better and told ourselves we had to do better in the second half, be more determined. We also immediately saw the change of tempo, and Christian`s introduction did us good," Rabiot told Sky Sport Italia.

"These are the games that can change a season, prove we`re here in terms of determination and focus. We`ve got to improve our attitude at the start, because we can`t always come back from 2-0 down to win 3-2."

It was an extraordinary strike from Rabiot, perhaps the best of his whole career, and seemed to come out of nowhere.

"We needed something, every now and then you`ve got to try something that can change the game. There were errors, but the important thing was the mentality and spirit we showed to turn it around, including those who came off the bench," concluded the France international.

"We`ll see where we end up, but with this mentality, we can go far."

There was some worrying news, as Rafael Leao limped off in the first half with a suspected adductor strain in his right leg.