In-form Napoli beat Verona to extend Serie A lead

Napoli went four points clear of Inter Milan at the top of Serie A after a comfortable 2-0 win at home to Hellas Verona.

The 2023 champions took a fifth-minute lead when Giovanni di Lorenzo's effort hit the post, bounced off visiting goalkeeper Lorenzo Montipo's back and into the net.

They wrapped up the win - a fifth in a row - when former Fulham midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa scored with an unstoppable drive in the 61st minute.

Former Manchester United duo Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay both went close, but Antonio Conte's side were untroubled.

Conte has won Serie A with Juventus on three occasions and with Inter in 2021 - and could make it a hat-trick of clubs if Napoli triumph this season.

Forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, though, was not in the squad after he asked to leave the club this week.

The 23-year-old has been linked with Paris-St Germain, Liverpool and Chelsea and is expected to move in the January transfer window.

Bournemouth midfielder Philip Billing was also missing after he signed on loan on Sunday.

Darmian scores winner as Inter keep up pressure

Earlier on Sunday, reigning champions Inter beat Venezia 1-0 to keep up their challenge.

Former Manchester United full-back Matteo Darmian scored the only goal as Simone Inzaghi's side bounced back from losing in the Italian Super Cup final to rivals AC Milan in Saudi Arabia.

They were without injured trio Hakan Calhanoglu, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Yann Bisseck, but got the points when Darmian converted a rebound.

Boss Inzaghi said: "It was not simple, but we won and that is what we wanted.

"It wasn't easy for us, after losing the final in that way. The boys were great, we came here tired and we played a great game."

Atalanta are third after they could only draw 0-0 with Udinese on Saturday.