Edin Dzeko took his Serie A scoring lead to eight goals in nine games as Roma outclassed Palermo 4-1 to reclaim second spot and move to within two points off leaders Juventus.
Roma had dropped to third after AC Milan stunned champions Juventus 1-0 on Saturday when teenaged midfielder Manuel Locatelli beat Gianluigi Buffon with a second-half scorcher.
But Luciano Spalletti’s men had no problem joining fellow scudetto hopefuls in capitalising on Juve’s rare slip, the Giallorossi wowing fans with a well-oiled attacking performance that kept them firmly in the title chase.
Juventus remain top but their second defeat of the campaign has reduced their advantage to two points on Roma and AC Milan.
Fellow title hopefuls Napoli are back in the hunt after a cagey 2-1 win at basement side Crotone moved the 2016 runners-up to fourth, at only four points adrift.
A lightning start at the Stadio Olimpico the hosts break the deadlock on 31 minutes, Mohamed Salah bursting through to meet Dzeko’s flick and nutmeg Josip Posavec at the near post.
But a rampant Roma virtually put the match beyond reach only six minutes after the restart, Posavec getting down low to collect Leandro Paredes’ pacy free kick from the left only to miss the ball completely.
Spalletti had replaced Jesus with Alessandro Florenzi at half-time, and on 68 minutes Dzeko pounced on the Italy midfielder’s delivery to beat Posavec with an unstoppable daisycutter.
Palermo reduced arrears when Robin Quaison beat Szczesny with a deflected 25-yard drive 10 minutes from the end. But a Roma counter two minutes later saw El Shaarawy claim Salah’s unselfish pass to score on 82 minutes.
