Ten-man Milan were made to sweat in their 3-1 win against Parma at Stadio Ennio Tardini after having Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent off for dissent as they tightened their grip on second place in Serie A.
Last week's 1-1 home draw with Sampdoria all but ended the Rossoneri's Scudetto hopes, but they responded with all three points on Saturday to boost their top-four prospects.
Ibrahimovic claimed an impressive assist for Ante Rebic's early opener and played a big part in Franck Kessie's goal that had Milan in control at the midway point.
However, the veteran striker was dismissed on the hour mark for something he said to the referee and Riccardo Gagliolo pulled back a goal soon after, but substitute Rafael Leao settled Milan's nerves with a third goal in added time.
The visitors had scored on each of their last seven away league visits to Parma and took just eight minutes to open the scoring in this latest meeting.
Ibrahimovic acrobatically controlled a pass 30 yards from goal before playing in Rebic to turn his man and fire away from Luigi Sepe into the top-right corner.
Milan have dropped just two points from winning positions this term and went further ahead before half-time, with Kessie slotting home once played through by Theo Hernandez.
Parma would have reduced the arrears early in the second half if not for Gianluigi Donnarumma's double save to keep out Andrea Conti's header and Graziano Pelle's follow-up.
But the home team were then given a big lifeline when Ibrahimovic was shown a straight red card by referee Fabio Maresca, seemingly for something he said after a free-kick was awarded against his side.
Gagliolo turned in Pelle's headed pass six minutes later and that paved the way for Parma to throw bodies forward in search of an equaliser.
The strugglers could not truly test Donnarumma in the remainder of the game, though, and they were picked off late on as Diogo Dalot raced clear and slid in an unmarked Leao to round off a counter.