Ghana midfielder Sulley Muntari was sent off as his AC Milan team were defeated 1-0 by arch rivals Inter in the Italian top-flight derby on Sunday.

A brilliant back-heel finish from Rodrigo Palacio with five minutes left gave Inter the victory over Milan on Sunday.

The Argentinian’s 10th goal of the season, which came when he met a cross from the right with a delicate touch that left the Milan keeper, Christian Abbiati, standing, lifted Inter to fifth place on 31 points.

Milan have won only one league game in two months and are languishing in 13th place on 19 points, only five above the relegation zone, after a poor performance in which Muntari was sent off in stoppage-time following a late scuffle.

In stoppages it erupted into a touchline brawl when Muntari shoulder-charged Kuzmanovic for time-wasting, as he wouldn’t give back the ball. The Ghanaian was shown a red card.

The defeat could have been worse had Inter been given a penalty five minutes before the break when Palacio was brought down by Cristian Zapata but struggling Milan still ended 2013 in miserable fashion.