Milan were on the brink of a first Serie A defeat in 23 outings before Theo Hernandez struck twice to earn a 2-2 draw with Parma on Sunday.
Theo Hernandez struck twice as Milan recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Parma and keep their unbeaten start to the Serie A season intact.
The hosts looked to be heading for a first defeat in 23 league outings - and a first in 11 games this term - after Hernani and Jasmin Kurtic had put Parma in control.
But Milan showed exactly why they are top thanks to a couple of goals from Hernandez - the equaliser in the 91st minute - as they dug deep in Sunday's clash at San Siro.
The point was the least Stefano Pioli's men deserved, having hit the frame of the goal four times - Hakan Calhanoglu responsible for three of those - and had a strike disallowed between the visitors' two goals.
Hernani side-footed away from Gianluigi Donnarumma for the opener following some good wide play from Gervinho, who got at league debutant Pierre Kalulu - an early sub for the injured Matteo Gabbia - and pulled the ball back towards the penalty spot.
Milan thought they were back on level terms 10 minutes later through Samu Castillejo's tap-in after Brahim Diaz flicked Hernandez's cross into the attacking midfielder's path, only for VAR to chalk it off for a slender offside.
Diaz then hit the crossbar, five seconds before Calhanoglu did likewise with a volley that bounced off the surface as Milan pushed hard for an equaliser before half-time.
And the home side were further frustrated when Calhanoglu clipped the outside of the post from a free-kick and then thumped a shot against the crossbar either side of the interval.
With Pioli's charges committing bodies forward, Hernani sent in a cross from the right that evaded Andreas Cornelius but was powered home by the head of an unmarked Kurtic in the centre.
Milan's response was instant, Hernandez sneaking in to meet Calhanoglu's corner as the hosts scored for a 31st league match running.
After probing away for the next half an hour, Hernandez found a way through for a second time as he reacted quickest to fire a loose ball into the bottom corner and salvage a late point.