Zlatan Ibrahimovic marked his return from a three-match ban with a first-half hat-trick as champions Milan routed Palermo 4-0 yesterday, while Juventus suffered a setback when they were held 1-1 by Chievo.
The win allowed Milan to open a three-point lead over undefeated Juventus, who still have a game in hand.
“I’ll get the whole team to sign the ball and then take it home with me,” said Ibrahimovic, whose last hat-trick was as a Juve player in 2005.
“We played an important game very well and must now keep going like this.”
Palermo had not lost to Milan at home since 2006 but Ibrahimovic soon put that record to bed by giving his side a 3-0 lead by the 35th minute.
He broke the deadlock in the 21st minute when Sulley Muntari set up Robinho, who found the big Swede in space to find the target with a left-footed curler.
Ten minutes later it was 2-0, when Ibrahimovic poked a low drive past goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano.
He completed his hat-trick after 35 minutes when he guided a shot inside the right-hand post from a few yards outside the area.
Milan’s rout was confirmed just before the hour mark when Thiago Silva headed in a cross from Stephan El Shaarawy.
Juventus, who had drawn 1-1 in a bad-tempered clash with Milan last weekend, went ahead against mid-table Chievo after 18 minutes thanks to Paolo De Ceglie, despite the left-back appearing to be in an offside position.
But Chievo stunned the Turin giants with a 76th-minute equaliser through Boukary Dramè, who found the target following a mazy dribble from Davide Moscardelli.
Today sees the Rome derby between Roma and Lazio. Lazio, who won the season’s first derby right at the death, will expect to bag full points as they chase down the top two – they are currently level on 45 points with third-placed Udinese, who take on Atalanta.
But Roma, blowing hot and cold under Luis Enrique, can overhaul Napoli and move into fifth with a win.
The Neapolitans, likely to rest several key names ahead of their potentially season-defining Champions League visit to Chelsea, travel to Parma looking to cut the five-point gap on Lazio.
Meanwhile, embattled Inter coach Claudio Ranieri denied yesterday that he was living on borrowed time as his side prepared to end a dreadful run of seven defeats and a draw by beating Catania today.
“I don’t see the game against Catania as my last chance,” former Chelsea and Roma coach Ranieri insisted.
“The club has total confidence in me.
“I am determined. I don’t feel I am under the microscope as the situation was more critical when I arrived than it is now.”
Serie A
Palermo 0
Milan 4
Ibrahimovic 21, 31, 35; Thiago Silva 58;
HT: 3-0. Att: 22,246.
Juventus 1
De Ceglie 18;
Chievo 1
Dramè 76;
HT: 1-0. Att: 39,027.
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Milan | 26 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 53 | 22 | 54 |
| Juventus | 25 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 38 | 16 | 51 |
| Lazio | 25 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 39 | 29 | 45 |
| Udinese | 25 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 36 | 23 | 45 |
| Napoli | 25 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 42 | 24 | 40 |
| Roma | 25 | 11 | 5 | 9 | 38 | 31 | 38 |
| Inter | 25 | 11 | 3 | 11 | 34 | 34 | 36 |
| Palermo | 26 | 10 | 4 | 12 | 39 | 43 | 34 |
| Chievo | 26 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 22 | 31 | 34 |
| Catania | 24 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 32 | 33 | 33 |
| Atalanta (-6) | 25 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 30 | 28 | 31 |
| Cagliari | 25 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 23 | 26 | 31 |
| Genoa | 25 | 9 | 4 | 12 | 33 | 46 | 31 |
| Parma | 24 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 29 | 37 | 29 |
| Fiorentina | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 23 | 25 | 28 |
| Bologna | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 29 | 28 |
| Siena | 25 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 27 | 28 | 26 |
| Lecce | 25 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 28 | 40 | 24 |
| Novara | 25 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 21 | 45 | 17 |
| Cesena | 24 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 16 | 38 | 16 |
Playing today
Bologna vs Novara (2-0)
Fiorentina vs Cesena (0-0)
Inter vs Catania (1-2) - 20.45
Lecce vs Genoa (0-0)
Parma vs Napoli (2-1) - 12.30
Roma vs Lazio (1-2)
Siena vs Cagliari (0-0)
Udinese vs Atalanta (0-0)
Note: In brackets results first round.
Top scorers
18 goals: Di Natale (Udinese), Ibrahimovic (Milan).
15 goals: Cavani (Napoli), Denis (Atalanta).
14 goals: Palacio (Genoa).
13 goals: Klose (Lazio).
12 goals: Jovetic (Fiorentina), Milito (Inter).
Next fixtures
Wednesday: 18.30 Bologna vs Juventus; Cesena vs Catania; Parma vs Fiorentina.
Friday: 20.45 Chievo vs Inter; Napoli vs Cagliari.
Saturday: 20.45 Palermo vs Roma.
Sunday: 12.30 Novara vs Udinese. 15.00 Milan vs Lecce; Atalanta vs Parma; Catania vs Fiorentina; Cesena vs Siena; Genoa vs Juventus. 20.45 Lazio vs Bologna.
Serie B
Bari 1 - Crotone 1
Empoli 1 - Livorno 1
Grosseto 0 - Torino 3
Juve Stabia 2 - Nocerina 2
Modena 3 - Cittadella 0
Padova 3 - AlbinoLeffe 2
Pescara 3 - Sassuolo 2
Reggina 1 - Ascoli 1
Sampdoria 2 - Verona 0
Tomorrow
Gubbio vs Brescia (2-2) - 20.45
Standings: Torino 59; Sassuolo, Pescara 55; Verona 54; Padova 49; Varese 48; Reggina 43; Brescia 42; Bari, Sampdoria 40; Cittadella, Grosseto, Juve Stabia 37; Livorno 31; Vicenza, Modena, Crotone 29; Gubbio 26; AlbinoLeffe, Empoli 25; Ascoli 24; Nocerina 19.