Internazionale 2-0 Lecce: Inter go four points clear at top of Serie A table with win at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza

Stylish Inter saw off stubborn Lecce with two goals worthy of winning any match, as the league leaders extended their Serie A advantage to four points.

Being without top scorer Lautaro Martinez due to a thigh injury picked up midweek, goals felt less than guaranteed. On the other hand, Lecce, with one win in six and none away, could hardly have come in at their most confident.

Inter dominated first half possession but Lecce stood up well against the unstoppable attacking force, even picking up the first shots on target thanks to some rapid counter attacking moves.

The breakthrough came from a free-kick that Lecce felt was unfairly awarded, as already booked Joan Gonzales was penalised for handball. He did not receive his marching orders.

Hakan Calhanoglu’s 43rd minute set-piece was perfectly weighted and Yann Aurel Bisseck needed only to get his head onto it, and guide it past the outstretched fingers of Wladimiro Falcone.

For the first part of the second half Inter struggled to put the match away as Lecce pressed for an equaliser. They almost got it through a penalty that was awarded for handball but was ruled out by VAR.

Inter continued to dominate possession and Bisseck almost doubled his account with a header that forced a good save from Lecce’s Wladimir Falcone.

When the game-sealer came, it was down to a magical move by Marko Arnautovic. The forward left Lecce’s defenders’ standing, backheeling through to Nicolo Barella in the middle of the box, who only had to convert the simplest of tap-ins.

A late red card for Lameck Banda for dissent saw to it that Lecce would not get back into the game.

In the closing minutes, Inter almost added two more, and would have but for several heroic saves from Falcone.

They say the league table doesn’t matter before Christmas. Well, Inter are dinging donging very merrily on high, thanks to another fine team performance in which individuals had the freedom to shine.

A four-point lead halfwaythrough the season might mean mathematically Inter are only one win defeat and a draw away from slipping down the table. To anyone watching on Saturday night, however – supporters or rivals alike – it will be almost impossible to imagine where those points might be dropped.

While Inter are romping home, Juve, for their part, are grinding out results just to stay in touch. It’s much easier to imagine that four-point gap doubling or more in the early matches of the New Year.

The German defender, who joined Inter at the start of the season, opened his account with one goal but he would have had a hat-trick were it not for the acrobatics of the Lecce goalkeeper, as well as a solid piece of woodwork. His towering first-half header that caused the net to bulge came moments after he volleyed a near-post corner against the bar. In the second half Bisseck rose again, forcing a finger-tip save from Falcone.

Did we mention that he’s supposed to be a centre half? There was nothing going by him at the back, either.

INTER: Sommer 7; Bisseck 9; Acerbi 6, Bastoni 5, Darmian 6, Barella 7, Calhanoglu 8, Mkhitaryan 8, Carlos 6, Thuram 6, Arnautovic 7… Subs: Klaassen 5, Frattesi 5, Asllani 6, Pavard 5, Sanchez 5

LECCE: Falcone 8, Pongracic 7, Bachirotto 6, Oudin 6, Gonzalez 5, Gendrey 6, Ramadani 5, Banda 7, Gallo 6, Strefezza 6, Piccoli 5… Subs: Rafia 6, Krstovic 5, Sansone 5, Kaba 6, Venuti 5

40′ – Bisseck volleys against the bar! Lovely contact from the corner at the near post, but it smacks the woodwork and bounces to safety.

43′ – Goal! Inter 1 – 0 Lecce (Bisseck) Moments after almost scoring with his foot, Bisseck makes great contact with his head against the free kick to put the home side in front.

49′ – Penalty to Lecce! A shot from outside the box slams against Carlos Augusto and the referee calls it a handball. Chance to equalise if this decision holds up.

50′ – Penalty rulled out! VAR shows it hit the player on his back.

78′ – Goal! Inter 2-0 Lecce (Barella) Arnautovic with a magical backheel into the path of Nicolo Barella who has the simplest of finishes to double Inter’s lead.

83′ – Banda awarded a red card! The Zambian winger, doesn’t like the way a decision has gone and makes his frustrations clear. The referee responds by showing him his marching orders.