Antonio Conte has three players in particular to thank for Inter’s 3-1 win over Lazio last night, according to a leading Italian journalist.
The Nerazzurri went top of Serie A for the first time this season after Romelu Lukaku scored twice and set up another for Lautaro Martinez against Simone Inzaghi’s in-form side.
Gazzetta dello Sport’s chief columnist Luigi Garlando sang the Belgian’s praises but also spared a word for two of Lukaku’s teammates.
“Big Rom, at times, seemed unstoppable, he was impressive,” Garlando wrote in Monday’s print edition.
“On Sunday, Lukaku will look down on his friend Zlatan Ibrahimovic from the top of the table and as the league’s new top scorer alongside Cristiano Ronaldo with 16 goals, two more than the AC Milan player.”
“Inter were not just Lukaku though.
“In fact, they sent significant messages as a team, showing they have found a balance which enables them to play with two attack-minded wing backs.
“I have never seen Ivan Perisic sacrifice himself like he did against Lazio, while Christian Eriksen’s role change is finally complete.
“Eriksen now looks like a cog in Inter’s wheel.
“He offers Inter forward passes and through balls and has taken on part of Marcelo Brozovic’s workload, allowing the Croatian time to think more.
“It is no coincidence that the Dane started the move that led to Inter’s first goal while Brozovic did the same for the third.
“Inter defeated Lazio who had won their last six league games and Inter have improved their attack without losing their defensive solidity.
“With two creative midfielders, two attacking wing-backs and Lu-La, Conte has a powerful attacking department, in fact he boasts the best attack with 54 goals, 13 more than the reigning champions Juventus.”
Garlando also highlighted an important statistic which fell into place courtesy of last night’s victory over the Biancocelesti.
“Conte has Inter sitting top of the table during the ‘girone di ritorno’ (second half of the season), something which hasn’t happened since Jose Mourinho’s treble-winning season,” he noted.
“On Sunday he will play the derby hoping to extend the lead, knowing he has an important advantage up his sleeve, even though he wouldn’t have wanted it: having no matches in midweek without being in Europe.”
Inter would move four points clear of AC Milan in the standings were they to prevail in next weekend’s Derby della Madonnina.
Their elimination from the Champions League after finishing bottom of their group means they can start preparing the game now, whereas the Rossoneri first have a Europa League commitment away to Red Star Belgrade.
Juventus lie eight points back from Inter, albeit with a game in hand, after losing at Napoli on Saturday, and they too have European football to focus on this week.