After being held 2-2 at Fiorentina last night, Inter Milan found themselves overtaken at the top of the standings as the Giallorossi beat Atalanta 2-1 at the Stadio Olimpico to move a point clear.

Mirko Vucinic put the hosts in front after 12 minutes before Marco Cassetti doubled the advantage.

Atalanta striker Simone Tiribocchi reduced arrears in the 53rd minute but Roma held on for a crucial win.

The result puts Roma in pole position with five games remaining while Atalanta remain 18th, four points adrift of safety.

AC Milan's title challenge faltered once again today.

The Rossoneri drew 2-2 with Catania after falling 2-0 behind before half-time.

Gaston Maxi Lopez (12 minutes) and Adrian Ricchiuti (43) put the visitors in front, but Marco Borriello netted after 47 and 80 minutes to claim a point.

Leonardo's side are four points behind Roma and three adrift of city rivals Inter.

Palermo remain on course for the coveted fourth-placed finish and a place in next season's Champions League after a 3-1 defeat of Chievo Verona.

Marcos put the visitors in front after 18 minutes, but Javier Pastore equalised 10 minutes later and Fabrizio Miccoli scored twice, the first from the penalty spot, to seal victory for Palermo.

Juventus are fifth, three points behind Palermo, after a 1-0 win over Cagliari, courtesy of Giorgio Chiellini's first-half strike.

The defender headed in Mauro Camoranesi's cross after 35 minutes to retain the Bianconeri's hopes of Champions League football next term.

Lazio moved six points clear of the relegation zone with a come-from-behind 3-2 win at Bologna.

The hosts were 2-0 up after 16 minutes with goals from Roberto Guana and Daniele Portanova, but Stefano Mauri pulled one back before the break.

Andre Dias levelled after 63 minutes and Tommaso Rocchi netted a 68th-minute winner.

Siena boosted their survival hopes with a 3-2 win over Bari, but remain in the relegation zone.

Abdelkader Ghezzal scored twice, cancelling out goals for Emmanuel Rivas and Jose Ignacio Castillo, before Aleandro Rosi netted the winner after 66 minutes.

Bottom club Livorno, meanwhile, slipped closer towards the trapdoor after a 2-0 home defeat to Udinese.

Alexis Sanchez and Antonio Di Natale scored the goals in the first half to lift the Friulians seven points clear of the bottom three with five games remaining.

The hosts had their former coach Gennaro Ruotolo back on the bench after he was reinstated this week when Serse Cosmi was sacked following last weekend's 1-1 draw at Genoa, but he was unable to halt their slide back towards Serie B and they now find themselves nine points adrift of safety.

Antonio Cassano earned Sampdoria victory in the 102nd Genovese derby to take them back into contention for a place in the Champions League next season.

Cassano struck in the 23rd minute to earn the home side all three points with a 1-0 win which took them level with Palermo on 54 points, three ahead of Juventus.

Genoa's own hopes of qualifying for Europe took a knock in the process as they slipped six points behind the top six with five games of the season remaining.