I Inter Milan beat

I Empoli 3-0 on I Sunday to notch ! up a recordequalling eighth league win in a row and open a seven-point lead in Serie A.

Second-half goals from Hernan Crespo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Walter Samuel helped Inter equal a club record winning run dating back to the 1939-40 season.

Inter have 39 points from 15 matches, seven points more than second-placed AS Roma, whose title bid suffered a setback when they lost 3-0 to city rivals Lazio at the Olympic Stadium in Rome.

Palermo, a point further back in third, beat Livorno 3-0 at home while Catania overcame Udinese 10 to climb to fourth on 23 points.

AC Milan, who started the season with eight points deducted for their part in a match-fixing scandal, remain mired near the foot of the division after Alberto Gilardino missed a penalty in a 0-0 draw with Torino.

Inter lacked their usual fluency in the first half at Empoli's Castellani stadium.

The closest they came to taking

the lead before the interval was when a short clearance from a free kick fell kindly for Santiago Solari to thump the ball into the side-netting.

In the 60th minute, however, Ibrahimovic headed a free kick off the bar and Crespo reacted quickly to turn the rebound into the roof of the net.

As Empoli pushed forward for an equaliser, they left themselves exposed at the back, opening up the space for Ibrahimovic to run at goal and curl Inter's second goal in off the post.

Defender Samuel wrapped up the result three minutes from time when he headed in a Nicolas Burdisso cross.

"We played an excellent match today," said Inter coach Roberto Mancini, who identified his team's 4-3 win over Milan at the end of October as the result that gave his players the self-belief to extend

their winning run.

"After winning the derby we were aware of what we were capable of if we stayed focused," he said.

"Empoli were a tough side, but we only risked conceding a goal once. That's the mark of a great team."

A good day for Inter was capped by the defeat of their nearest rivals Roma.

Roma seemed well in control of the derby until a minute before halftime, when midfielder Cristian Ledesma unleashed a superb rising drive from well outside the area that flew into the top corner of the net.

Lazio extended their lead shortly after the restart. Goran Pandev went through alone on goal only to be upended by Doni to give away a penalty, which Massimo Oddo converted.

Roma committed men forward in an attempt to pull a goal back. Their tactics, however, left them exposed at the back, and in the 73rd minute Lazio striker Tommaso Rocchi broke forward and played Stefano Mauri into the area.

The Italian international's shot hit the bar, but his midfield companion Mutarelli was well-placed to volley in the rebound.

While Inter go from strength to strength, there seems no end to

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Milan's disappointing form. The Serie A giants lie 15th in the 20-team division with 13 points.

After watching his players lose 20 to Lille in the Champions League in midweek, coach Carlo Ancelotti had asked for an "immediate reaction" against Torino.

Instead, it was another listless performance by Milan, who appeared to have saved themselves in the 77th minute when visiting defender Gabriele Cioffi tripped Gilardino to give away a penalty.

The Italy striker's spot kick struck the post, however, and Milan were lucky to come away with a point after Torino striker Roberto Muzzi twice hit the woodwork in the closing stages.

TOP SIX

Team P W D L GF GA Pts

Inter Milan 15 12 3 0 32 14 39

Roma 15 10 2 3 32 14 32

Palermo 15 10 1 4 30 18 31

Catania 15 6 5 4 21 26 23

Lazio 15 7 3 5 25 13 21

Atalanta 15 5 5 5 24 24 20