In-form Udinese top the pile

Surprising Udinese won their fifth straight match thanks to Milan Skriniar's 22nd-minute own goal and late headers from Jaka Bijol and Tolgay Arslan. Andrea Sottil's side are two points ahead of Napoli, Atalanta, AC Milan and Lazio - 4-0 winners at Cremonese - after bouncing back from Nicolo Barella's superb early free-kick opener for Inter.

"We always give 100 percent, we're a good group of players," said Arslan. "Let's keep our heads though, we have a match at Verona in two weeks time and our minds need to be focussed on that, not anything else."

Three of chasing four play later on Sunday and have the chance to claim the summit. Champions Milan host Napoli at the San Siro in the weekend's headline match, while Atalanta head to fifth-placed Roma hoping to maintain their unbeaten record.

Inter sit four points off the pace in seventh after their third league defeat of a difficult opening to the season. "It's the third time that we've taken the lead and lost 3-1," said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi.

"We've conceded nine times in three away matches, when last year we conceded that many in the first half of the season."

They were deservedly beaten at the Dacia Arena in Udine, creating little and fortunate not to fall behind earlier as Gerard Deulofeu struck the post with 18 minutes remaining.

 

September 18, 2022