Serie A topshot Lautaro Martinez was on song for Inter, scoring twice to put the Nerazzurri to the top by beating SPAL 2-1.

The Antonio Conte-tutored side leapfrogged Juventus, who drew 2-2 with Sassuolo today, to set a new all-time record as Inter’s best ever start to a Serie A season, winning 12 of the opening 14 rounds.

It was a struggle to start with, but Inter took the lead with their first real chance. Mirko Valdifiori was caught in possession, Lautaro Martinez sprinted to the edge of the box and his snooker shot of a finish went through Igor’s legs into the far bottom corner.

Francesco Vicari made a decisive block on Romelu Lukaku and Etrit Berisha parried Marcelo Brozovic’s effort, but Andrea Petagna was left with a large cut on his cheekbone after an accidental collision with Stefan de Vrij’s arm.

Inter doubled their lead just before half-time, as Antonio Candreva whipped in a cross from the right and Lautaro Martinez made the run from deep, ghosting between defenders for a free header.

Gabriel Strefezza had been in doubt for this match and limped off just before half-time. SPAL got one back with their first shot on target, as Mattia Valoti went on a surprising mazy run, riding one tackle, squirming between defenders and his slightly scuffed finish rolled into the far bottom corner.

Alessandro Murgia failed to make the most of a defensive error, but at the other end Berisha beat Lautaro Martinez’s header off the line.

Lukaku set up Candreva for an angled drive, forcing Berisha into a tricky low save, then the Belgian also sent Lautaro Martinez clear, but he hesitated and Berisha managed to make a tackle with his outstretched boot, one-on-one.

Meanwhile, Antonio Conte has reacted to his team’s victory, saying he is “proud” to see Inter on top of the table after a record-breaking start to the season.

“We’ve been working since Day One to make an impact and annoy the other teams. Being back on top of the table after 14 rounds makes us proud, because we know the journey we’ve been through to get here,” Conte told Sky Sport Italia as cited by Football Italia.

“At the same time, it should give us positive enthusiasm, push us to do even better and control the game without suffering to the end the way we did today, because in those circumstances a cross or deflected shot can change everything.

“We were determined today and knew Juventus had dropped points, so were prepared to make the most of the situation. We deserved to beat SPAL and it’s important to remember we are focused on our own growth process, which is in full swing, so we’re not trying to compare ourselves with others.

“Lautaro – we call him Lauty – used to live for the goal, but I was very clear with him that the top strikers are the ones who work for the team, who track back in defence and seek each other out. Romelu Lukaku, for instance, didn’t score today, but he was constantly involved.”

Conte was asked if he sleeps better as the Serie A leader rather than in second place.

“I don’t sleep much in general, to be honest…”

Cristiano Ronaldo saved Maurizio Sarri’s blushes by scoring from the penalty spot to hand Juventus a point in their
2-2 thriller with Sassuolo.

Emre Can should’ve scored within five minutes, but incredibly hit a fresh-air shot from six yards on Gonzalo Higuain’s pull-back from the by-line.

The German tried to make up for it with a snapshot from distance moments later, forcing the first save of Turati’s Serie A career, while Gigi Buffon parried a Kyrialopoulos free kick.

Gonzalo Higuain’s volley flashed just wide of both Ronaldo at the far post on a dinked Miralem Pjanic pass, then Jeremie Boga blasted just over the bar.

It was end-to-end stuff, but Juve took the lead when Leonardo Bonucci hit a sudden daisy-cutter from 20 metres out that drilled into the far bottom corner.

The situation lasted barely three minutes, as Boga sprung the offside trap on a delightful Caputo assist that nutmegged Alex Sandro, waited for Buffon to rush out and chipped him from a tight angle. It was a magnificent equaliser.

Manuel Locatelli drilled wide from distance and Traore’s free header sailed over the bar, as Sassuolo continued to cause problems. On the stroke of half-time, Turati bravely rushed off his line to clear with Pjanic and Ronaldo rushing towards him on the counter.

The second half started with a bang and a catalogue of Juventus errors to gift Sassuolo the lead. Juan Cuadrado’s back-pass to De Ligt was bad, the Dutchman’s prod straight to Caputo was worse and the striker’s shot from the edge of the box squirmed over Buffon for another error.

Juve fought back, as debutant Turati flew to fingertip a Ronaldo free kick out from under the bar, then Higuain only prodded straight at the goalkeeper from five yards.

Sarri had to hit the panic button, throwing on Paulo Dybala and Blaise Matuidi for Bernardeschi and Emre Can. Rodrigo Bentancur needed a decisive block to stop Junior Hamed Traore going clear on goal, while Ronaldo had the ball in the net on the hour mark only after he’d been flagged offside.

The pressure was growing and Filippo Romagna mistimed his tackle on Dybala for a stonewall penalty. Ronaldo converted into the near bottom corner, sending Turati the wrong way for 2-2.

It was wide open, Dybala’s rising strike fingertipped over the bar from a tight angle by Turati, then Dybala, Pjanic and Locatelli free kicks off target.

Turati fumbled Aaron Ramsey’s effort, but just about managed to claw it back under control before the ball crossed the line. It was a siege in stoppages, but Ronaldo’s header looped inches wide.

Sassuolo had lost all six previous Serie A visits to the Juventus Stadium, losing their last seven home and away against the Bianconeri in the league, but emerged with a more than deserved point.

Juventus: Buffon; Cuadrado, Bonucci, De Ligt, Alex Sandro; Emre Can (Matuidi 53), Pjanic, Bentancur; Bernardeschi (Dybala 53); Higuain (Ramsey 79), Ronaldo

Sassuolo: Turati; Toljan, Marlon, Romagna, Kyriakopoulos; Magnanelli, Traore (Duncan 62), Locatelli; Djuricic (Muldur 72), Caputo, Boga (Peluso 90)

Photo Credit: Twitter @juventus.com/en

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has reacted to suggestion he could renew his contract at the Etihad club, saying “it depends on results”.

The Spaniard joined City in 2016, winning the Premier League back-to-back.

But his team is eleven points behind the Premier League leaders after dropping points against Newcastle on Saturday.

Should he see out the contract, he will have been at the club for five years – a year longer than he spent in charge of Barcelona and two more than he was at Bayern Munich.

Yet, although no talks with the City hierarchy have been held, the 48-year-old would consider staying on if wanted.

Asked if he would be interested in prolonging his stay, the Spaniard said: “I’m open (to it), yes. I’m so comfortable working with this club.

“It depends on results. When you are (somewhere for) five years it depends on the results. We will see what happens this season and next season.”

Photo Credit: premierleague.com

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has fingered the club’s medical team’s warning for not starting the Blues mercurial midfieder N’Golo Kante in the home defeat to West Ham on Saturday.

Frank Lampard says he listened to his medical team when making the decision to name N’Golo Kante on the bench against West Ham, report the Express.

The Hammers earned a first win in eight matches with a 1-0 victory against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Aaron Cresswell’s third goal of the season was the difference as he struck shortly into the second half, bending a low shot into the bottom corner.

Kante has had a mixed season with injury limiting him to just seven appearances for the Blues in the Premier League. In the last four seasons, Kante has missed just 10 games in the league.

Kante would eventually come in the 63rd minute but he was unable to rescue a point for Chelsea.

After the match, Lampard was asked about the options he has in midfield and the decision not to start with Kante.

And the Chelsea boss admitted his medical staff had been in ongoing dialogue about how to protect the midfielder after struggling with injury.

He told Chelsea TV: “I’ve listened to three or four months of the medical team telling me that no one has given him rest and that’s why he’s had problems this season.

“So after two big and physical games for him, it felt the right thing to do in terms of giving him a [rest] with what we have coming up.

“I just expect more from us whatever the personnel.

“That good problem means that whoever you pick in there can be doing what we did in there today.

“I get that. Sometimes you can have down days.”

It is now back-to-back league defeats for Lampard’s side and he said his players had received a wake-up call after receiving plenty of praise this season.

“Sometimes you can have down days,” he said.

“The process that we are in, I think today might not be the worst.

“I hate losing, I hate losing against West Ham in a London derby. “I hate the feeling of it. But it might be a reality check for all of us.

Photo Credit: premierleague.com