AS Roma beat Genoa 2-0 to record their first win in eight games and ease the pressure on under-fire coach Rudi Garcia on Sunday, while Juventus's remarkable winning streak continued after they came from behind to beat Carpi 3-2.
There were no slip-ups among the main players in Serie A's congested title race as second place Fiorentina won 2-0 at home to Chievo and Napoli in third won 3-1 at Atalanta.
Both Napoli and Fiorentina have 35 points, one behind leaders Inter Milan, who host Lazio later on Sunday.
Mario Mandzukic scored twice as Juventus extended their Serie A winning streak to seven matches to head into the winter break in fourth on 33 points, a point clear of Roma in fifth.
Former Juve striker Marco Borriello gave Carpi, who are 19th on 10 points, the lead in their first-ever top-flight meeting against the champions when he beat Leonardo Bonucci before firing past Gianluigi Buffon.
Mandzukic equalised in spectacular fashion when he swivelled and fired a volley past Vid Belec, before heading home Patrice Evra’s cross to give Juventus the lead in the 41st minute.
Paul Pogba controlled Claudio Marchisio’s sumptuous long pass with his chest and touched home a third, but Bonucci deflected Luca Marrone’s cross past Buffon in the second minute of stoppage time to set up a tense finale.
Roma's Alessandro Florenzi and Sadiq Umar scored in either half as Garcia's side ended a run of seven games without a win in all competitions by beating Genoa at home.
Garcia was close to the exit door, according to media reports, following their mid-week Italian Cup elimination by Serie B Spezia, yet may have bought himself some time with the win.
Edin Dzeko was sent off for Roma late in the second half for swearing at the referee.
Napoli saw off Atalanta in an ill-tempered contest, with both sides having a player sent off.
Napoli's Marek Hamsik opened the scoring with a 52nd-minute penalty, but Atalanta responded moments later through Alejandro Gomez.
A second-half double from Gonzalo Higuain secured the points for the visitors, although they lost Jorginho following a second yellow card in the 73rd minute. Gabriel Paletta was dismissed late on for Atalanta, who are ninth on 24 points.
Nikola Kalinic scored his 10th goal of the campaign as Fiorentina downed Chievo. Josip Ilicic added a second midway through the first half as Paulo Sousa’s side bounced back from their 3-1 defeat to Juventus. Verona and Sassuolo drew 1-1.
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