Sergio Conceicao credited AC Milan's newfound aggression after they recovered from two goals down to earn a much-needed 3-2 victory over Lecce in Serie A on Saturday.

Milan went 2-0 down to the relegation candidates in the first hour but rallied late in the game through a Christian Pulisic brace and an own goal from Antonino Gallo.

The victory was the Rossoneri's 1,500th in Serie A, making them the third team to reach that figure after Juventus (1,706) and Inter (1,590).

It also moved them to within three points of the top six, ending a run of three straight defeats in all competitions.

"We had a little more time during the week to prepare for the match, we knew Lecce's strengths and weaknesses," Conceicao told DAZN.

"We had two goals disallowed, in the second half we didn't come in as we wanted and they scored the second goal.

"It seemed difficult to turn it around, then our character came out. I put on offensive players and in the end it went well. I have to compliment the team for how they worked during the week with the right attitude that I really liked."

Milan's losing run had included a Champions League elimination at the hands of Feyenoord, but Conceicao believes their European exit has at least allowed them more time to work on the training ground. 

"I like to work on the pitch," Conceicao added. "Today the aggression and pressing that we wanted was higher.

"I'm not at all happy about being eliminated from the Champions League but now we have more time. The lads have character and you could see it in the match today."

Pulisic returned to scoring after more than a month without a goal, and he now has 34 goal involvements in Serie A since arriving at the start of 2023-24 (20 goals, 14 assists) – more than any other Milan player.

"Starting from the wing, he feels very comfortable in the central corridor, then it depends on the game," Conceicao said of the United States international.

"Today he started on the left, he is a player with great technical qualities and very intelligent. He can play behind the striker or on the wings but coming inside is his best position."

In his second season at Milan, Pulisic has so far scored eight league goals, four shy of his tally from 2023-24.

"It's a very difficult moment for us, and this was a very important victory," Pulisic said. "But we are a very united group, we demonstrated it with this very important win."