Inter consolidated their top position in the Serie A standings after beating Cagliari 2-0 in Sardegna last night. Earlier in the day, Roma moved back up to second but were fortunate to get away with a 0-0 draw at Torino after the hosts wasted several good chances.
Roma are now one point above third-placed Juventus, who won 3-2 at Lazio on Saturday thanks to Alessandro Del Piero's second-half double.
Leaders Inter are seven points clear of Roma after beating Cagliari despite playing without a number of top players including suspended striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Inter were rarely troubled at the Sant' Elia stadium but had to wait until 12 minutes after the restart to forge ahead with a goal from Julio Cruz after he was put through by David Suazo.
Suazo, formerly of Cagliari, scored Inter's second goal 11 minutes from time after pouncing on a loose ball inside the opponents' box.
In the afternoon kick-off, Roma failed to put any real pressure on champions Inter with a toothless performance in Turin, where striker Francesco Totti was again missing after a foot problem re-appeared.
Mid-table Torino peppered the Roma goal with Simone Barone having the first clear opportunity when he sidefooted wide from close in.
Forwards David Di Michele and Alessandro Rosina then spurned a glorious chance when they collided with each other as they both went to stroke home a loose ball.
Sasa Bjelanovic also rattled the bar with a bullet header in the second half as Roma clung on. Torino's frustrating day was made worse when coach Walter Novellino was dismissed for arguing and Gianluca Comotto was sent off for a professional foul at the end.
Fiorentina, in fifth, drew 2-2 at Sampdoria, failing to take full advantage of fourth-placed Udinese losing 2-0 at Catania on Saturday.
Sampdoria striker Antonio Cassano equalised with a well-directed header in the second half but had earlier been in tears after picking up a booking which rules him out of next weekend's match at former club Roma.
In other matches, Atalanta's previous good form continued to desert them in a 3-1 home defeat to Palermo while Parma moved further away from the bottom with a comfortable 3-0 victory over lowly Reggina.
Empoli and Genoa drew 1-1 as did Siena and Napoli.
In Bergamo, Palermo took the lead on 13 minutes through Uruguayan Edinson Cavani, who was almost on the goal-line when he headed in Cristian Zaccardo's cross.
Atalanta's Antonio Langella then scored an own-goal when Giuseppe Biava's header across goal struck his arm on its way into the net.
Forward Amauri made it three when he turned in another good Zaccardo cross in the second period before the same player sliced into his own net when trying to clear a ball fizzed across goal.
Mario Frick put Siena ahead, slightly against the run of play, but Napoli quickly equalised on 64 minutes when Mariano Bogliacino struck.
Napoli had gone close on 31 minutes when defender Maurizio Domizzi's backheader from a corner hit the top of the bar while Marek Hamsik's cross nearly ended up in the goal moments later.
Nicola Pozzi hit the post early on for Empoli before much-talked about youngster Sebastian Giovinco calmly struck into the roof of the net on half-time.
Genoa grabbed the equaliser four minutes from time through Andrea Masiello.
Hosts Parma coasted to victory and sent hapless Reggina to the foot of the table.
On-loan Manchester City striker Bernardo Corradi nodded in Reginaldo's flighted cross midway through the first half to put Parma in front.
Andrea Pisanu extended Parma's advantage just after the interval and Massimo Paci added the gloss.