Captain Martinez propels Inter Milan six points ahead, Napoli edge out Sassuolo

Lautaro Martinez netted the decisive goal to send Inter Milan six points ahead atop Serie A following their 1-0 victory over Udinese on Saturday, while Napoli countered the challenge by securing a narrow 1-0 triumph against Sassuolo.

Martinez neatly slotted in the winner during the 20th minute at Udine, extending Inter's unbeaten streak to nine league matches before their vital Champions League encounter with Arsenal on Tuesday.

Inter dominated throughout, applying intense pressure high on Udinese's half, exactly as Cristian Chivu demands from his squad.

"The quality we're showing on the field reflects the determination of these players, as altering ingrained patterns is no simple task," Chivu commented to DAZN.

"We press high and initiate from the attackers, stemming from their efforts, the drive of our midfielders to secure challenges, and the bravery of our backline in holding a advanced position."

Inter have amassed 25 points out of 27 available since their late November defeat to Milan in the derby, once more demonstrating a sharpness against lesser opponents that has eluded both AC Milan and Napoli.

Milan have squandered numerous points against sides they ought to defeat, beginning in August versus Jamie Vardy's Cremonese, who stay the sole team to claim three points from Massimiliano Allegri's outfit.

Inter face the reverse issue, struggling historically against prominent foes, a flaw that Arsenal, the Premier League frontrunners, will probe at the San Siro.

Their four initial victories in the Champions League league stage gave way to two losses, now jeopardising straightforward progression to the knockout rounds.

Napoli hold third spot, six points adrift of Inter, after Stanislav Lobotka's first club strike in more than three years ended a sequence of three consecutive stalemates.

The Slovak midfielder rifled in from the rebound in the seventh minute at Naples, ending a barren spell dating to Napoli's victorious 2022/23 campaign opener, settling an otherwise balanced affair.

The title holders match second-placed Milan's 43 points, with the Rossoneri set to face Lecce on Sunday.

They lag behind city neighbours Inter, despite the seven-time European winners remaining undefeated since the season's start.

Antonio Conte's Napoli head to Denmark next to meet FC Copenhagen, a fixture pivotal to their Champions League prospects, as both clubs hover near the drop zones.

The already depleted squad could lose three additional members, with Eljif Elmas, Amir Rrahmani, and Matteo Politano all picking up injuries.

Conte appeared visibly irritated from the sidelines as Politano collapsed late, clutching his hamstring following a quickfire effort.

Juventus sit fourth, 10 points behind Inter, yet have shown progress recently under Luciano Spalletti and enter as strong favourites against Cagliari in Saturday's closing fixture.