Inter Milan went back to the top of the Italian Serie A table with a routine 3-1 win against Roma at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza in Milan on Saturday.

Goals from Denzel Dumfries, Marcelo Brozovic and Lautaro Martinez took the Nerazzurri to victory.

The victory helped them to continue their excellent record against the team from the Italian capital, in spite of a late strike from Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

It was not the result or performance that former Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho would have been looking for.

This is because the defeat came as a big blow to the Giallorossi’s hopes of European qualification.

Simone Inzaghi would have been very pleased with what he saw from his team.

They move a point ahead of AC Milan in the race for the Scudetto having played the same number of games, with their city rivals facing Lazio in Rome on Sunday.

Inter Milan took the lead just before the half-hour mark as some neat play from the home side saw Hakan Calhanoglu play a through ball to Dumfries. He ran onto it like a striker to slide the opener past Rui Patricio.

It was 2-0 just 10 minutes later as Brozovic found himself on the left side of the penalty area.

He cut inside Gianluca Mancini and fired into the far top corner of the net.

The third goal arrived early in the second half as a neat ball from Nicolo Barella found Martinez, whose shot was parried behind for a corner-kick.

But the Argentine headed home the resulting outswinging delivery from Calhanoglu.

There was nearly a calamitous fourth as a cross from the right was helped back to Patricio by Rick Karsdorp.

Realising he could not pick the ball up, the Portugal international urgently kicked the ball away before Joaquin Correa could take advantage.

Mkhitaryan fired in a consolation past Samir Handanovic from just inside the penalty box with five minutes remaining. But it was already too late for the visitors.

(dpa/NAN)