Marek Hamsik opened the scoring with a penalty in the 11th minute and Michele Pazienza (43) and German Denis (65) added further goals.

The home side squandered a hatful of chances that could have taken them above Juventus into second place, but they never looked like dropping any points as they extended their unbeaten home record this season.

In the other game, Bologna twice came from behind to record a thumping first Serie A win under new boss Sinisa Mihajlovic at the expense of Torino.

Toro were twice ahead, first through Simone Barone and then a deflected effort from Ignazio Abate, but the hosts battled back to triumph 5-2.

Marco Di Vaio bagged a second-half hat-trick with Sergio Volpi and Marco Bernacci also on target, the latter from the penalty spot.

The visitors' miserable afternoon was compounded 10 minutes from time by the dismissal of Francesco Pratali for a professional foul.