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The Rossoneri ran rampant in a particularly heated and bad tempered affair that saw Roberto Mancini dismissed
Goals from Alex, Carlos Bacca and M'Baye Niang were enough for AC Milan to down city rivals 3-0 Inter in Sunday's fiery Derby della Madonnina.
There was drama aplenty as the Rossoneri snatched what could be a crucial result in their race for Champions Laeague qualification.
Sinisa Mihajlovic's men were certainly helped by Inter's implosion, however, as coach Roberto Mancini was sent off before captain Mauro Icardi conspired to miss his spot-kick.
Milan, on the other hand, had been more clinical in a scrappy game, with Alex rising highest to give his team the lead with an expertly-placed header.
Icardi then blazed his penalty over the bar before Bacca made his impact felt, scoring just as Inter were pushing hard for their own equaliser to head home a cross from Niang.
The youngster went from provider to scorer only four minutes later when he took turned home the rebound of a shot Nerazzurri custodian Samir Handanovic had stopped but spilt to seal a much-needed Milan victory.
Such a scoreline was barely conceivable early on as Inter started the match the better of the two teams.
Debutant Eder failed to turn home Juan Jesus' superb cross within six minutes, while Gianluigi Donnarumma had to leap to his right to keep out Marcelo Brozovic's 25-yard drive.
Juraj Kucka led Milan's response, twice twisting and turning into shooting positions without breaching the opposing defence as the match continued at breakneck pace throughout its opening quarter.
Stevan Jovetic's low drive was easily claimed by Donnarumma at his near post, while at the other end Miranda cleared Jucka's cross off the toes of Keisuke Honda and the two teams appeared to be heading to half-time deadlocked.
However, with 10 minutes left before the break, Milan found a way through Serie A's meanest defence. Keisuke Honda swung in a cross from the right and Alex threw himself highest to nod beyond Handanovic.
Mancini took exception to a challenge by Donnarumma on Eder in the early moments of the second half, with the Inter boss' protestations seeing him sent to the stands. The visiting coach was unhappy with Damato's failure to award his side a penalty but, with 20 minutes remaining, he got his wish.
Icardi's initial shot was well saved by Donnarumma but, when the ball rebounded to the Inter forward, Alex prevented him from taking a swipe at the loose ball. Icardi struck Donnarumma's left-hand upright from the spot, however, and Ivan Perisic was unable to guide home the rebound.
The miss proved costly and within three minutes Bacca put Milan out of sight, with Niang supplying a sensational cross from the right before the Colombian lost Miranda to slide home from eight yards out.
In the 77th minute, Milan added a third. Caught cold against the counter-attack, Inter's defence could only watch on as Niang converted at the second attempt after his first shot was saved by Handanovic.
The Inter goalkeeper produced a good save to prevent substitute Mario Balotelli - who was booked within a minute of coming on - scoring a fourth late on, but the damage was already done and Milan recorded their biggest derby victory since 2011.
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