Juventus claimed their 12th league win in a row when they beat Atalanta 2-0 on Wednesday in a match originally postponed by snow to go four points clear of Napoli at the top of Serie A.

Gonzalo Higuain and Blaise Matuidi scored in each half of a typically efficient performance which left the Turin side as favourites to win a seventh successive title.

Juventus also kept a clean sheet for the eighth Serie A match in a row and have yet to concede a goal in the league this year.

Atalanta finished with 10 men after Gianluca Mancini was booked twice in as many minutes and sent off.

Juve's opening goal was almost entirely down to Douglas Costa, the Brazilian winger winning the ball in his own half and then running 50 metres before releasing Higuain, who advanced and placed his shot past Etrit Berisha.

It was the feisty Argentine forward's 15th league goal of the season.

Mancini was sent off in the 79th minute after successive bookable fouls on Higuain and Giorgio Chiellini and Juve immediately added a second.

Paulo Dybala sent a low cross into the area to Higuain and he found an unmarked Matuidi who swept the ball home for the second.

Juventus have 74 points from 28 games -- 24 wins, two draws and two defeats -- while Napoli are on 70. The Turin side visit SPAL on Saturday where they have a chance to open up a seven-point lead before Napoli host Genoa on Sunday.

 

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