Chelsea flop Ruben Loftus-Cheek registers performance not seen in 17 years for AC Milan

RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK equaled a record for AC Milan on Thursday that has been unbroken since 2007.

The midfielder has made a strong impression on Milan fans since leaving Chelsea last summer and appears to have finally put his injury woes behind him.

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The midfielder has made 26 appearances in all competitions for the Rossoneri this season, scoring seven goals and providing two assists.

He added another two to his tally last night as Milan swept aside Rennes 3-0 in the Europa League.

By scoring his brace, he became the first player to score two or more goals in a European knockout match for the club since Kaka in 2007.

Kaka's double came against Manchester United in the 2006-07 edition of the Champions League, when he scored two remarkable individual goals at Old Trafford.

Loftus Cheek's brace took his tally to five goals in his last five appearances as Milan enter the business end of the season.

Loftus-Cheek said after the win: “Tonight was incredible at home.

“I've been working on this to get into the right position to score and it's going well now.”

Manager Stefano Pioli has been on the brink of sacking twice this season, with Antonio Conte favorite to replace him last month.

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But Milan are now in a good position to qualify for the Champions League in Serie A and are in pole position to reach the last 16 of the Europa League.

28-year-old Loftus-Cheek left Chelsea this summer after his contract expired.

The midfielder was regarded as one of the best talents to ever emerge from Chelsea's Cobham academy but has struggled with injuries since breaking into Chelsea's first team in 2015.

His move to Crystal Palace in the 2017/18 season earned him a place in England's 2018 World Cup squad, where he became a key part of Gareth Southgate's squad.

Loftus-Cheek made a total of 155 appearances for the Blues before moving to Milan at the start of this season.