JUVENTUS MOVED SIX points clear at the top of Serie A as Juan Cuadrado’s thunderbolt secured a nervy 1-0 home victory over Inter in the Derby d’Italia.
With title rivals Roma not playing until Tuesday, the champions took full advantage and Cuadrado’s marvellous goal provided the perfect response to second-placed Napoli’s 7-1 thrashing of Bologna earlier in the weekend.
Inter beat Juve at San Siro in September and Stefano Pioli’s men came into this game with designs on a title fight after a run of seven consecutive league victories.
However, following Inter’s Coppa Italia reverse against Lazio in midweek, Massimiliano Allegri’s side also proved too strong after Cuadrado’s first league goal of the season turned an entertaining contest in their favour at the end of the first half.
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There was a very distinguished guest in attendance, as Antonio Conte paid a visit to his old stamping ground. The Chelsea manager was present alongside Juve president Andrea Agnelli for the showpiece clash, and sat in the directors’ box.
Paulo Dybala had clipped the woodwork early on, but the visitors were a match for the table-toppers until the Colombia international broke the deadlock in style.
Although Inter remained a threat after the break, Juve have now won 28 consecutive home league games and the Nerazzurri’s frustrations boiled over late on as Ivan Perisic was dismissed for dissent.
The game set off at a frantic pace and Samir Handanovic was soon forced into a strong stop from Dybala’s acrobatic volley.
While the action swung from end to end, amid a flurry of heavy challenges and poor final balls, Dybala supplied another moment of quality as he curled delicately against the crossbar from 20 yards.
Roberto Gagliardini snatched at Inter’s first chance, shooting over the crossbar, and then nodded straight at Gianluigi Buffon after Joao Mario had struck a low effort inches past the left-hand post.
Gonzalo Higuain uncharacteristically pulled an attempted finish wide at the other end, and Mario Mandzukic also headed across the face of goal, but the visitors enjoyed a dominant spell as Buffon parried from Perisic and watched Mauro Icardi narrowly miss the target.
However, Juve headed into the break in front as Cuadrado forged a breakthrough in the final minute of the half.
Handanovic kept out Miralem Pjanic’s free-kick at full stretch, but the subsequent corner fell kindly for Cuadrado to drive a stunning strike high into the net from 25 yards.
Pjanic was again denied by Handanovic, low to the goalkeeper’s left, early in the second period, while Gagliardini turned a header over the top for Inter.
Icardi led a counter for the visitors, opting to go for goal himself and blazing over, and Pioli’s side were then grateful to Handanovic as sharp saves from Higuain and Mandzukic kept them in the game.
Jeison Murillo’s curler missed the top-left corner as Inter attacked time and time again in the closing stages, but their final roll of the dice ended with a red card for Perisic.
With Handanovic forward for a corner, referee Nicola Rizzoli spotted a foul, booking the goalkeeper for his protests and then dismissing Perisic after an aggressive confrontation in the final act of a thrilling, fiery clash.
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Hopefully a United win with both teams to score worth €2,347 off a fiver to me.
Jesus man hedge that
Hedge it??
United to wake the hell up now and hit them with 2 please
Yeah throw a few quid on a draw and a Preston win
Ya spread the money on all outcomes to guarantee yourself profit.
Cash out was never an option, 4 other games wdw btts won at Wkend and no cash out offered. Paddy power are crooks, clever but crooks all the same. Their cash out is pathetic.
Milky bars on you!! Seriously though open a betfair account and use that to hedge anytime you are only one result from a big payout
Oh the tension it’s looking good tho
Ya definately, finished with paddy power. Bet365 good for cash out too
What u guna do with the winnings?
I’ll keep an eye on it for you.
Holiday
Congrats andrew
Cheers Graham, massively lucky
My crystal ball says a United win but another poor performance..
You not need a crystal ball for that…
No s*** Sherlock
LVG looks a bit stressed.
2 – 1 to P.N.E.
I read that as PeNIs End
Falcao is some let down.
I’d agree with the BBC commentator
That should be Falcos last game for United. He has offered nothing. Give Wilson a chance up front
If Man Utd had the pace and presence that Real Madrid have in the midfield and the wings Falcao would be knocking them in. I like the guy and he will do well at a bigger club or a more attacking minded club but it’s just not working out in Manchester.
Greedy agents and greedy players are a scourge. Money money money.
Jesus, United are awful to watch
To be fair Ashley Young has made a big difference since comming on.
I’d love to know what Van Gaal does in training because United can’t pass, cross, defend or attack. Everything is backwards or sideways and so boringly slow.
preston at a canter
Daley blind falling on his arse hahaha, and all you united fans sing about gerrard? United yet again are shockingly bad
Fellani pushes defender to give himself room to header and Rooney offside interfering with play. Referee wake the kcuk up.
Really.
And add to that a dive by Rooney and there you have it. Preston ripped off.
Ok Joe. Just checking.
Herrrrrrrrrrerrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Fellllllllllllllaini
Aaaaaand Roooooooooney. Watch all the anti United trolls go into hiding for the rest of the night. Bahahahahahaha
You beat a League 1 team, needing a penalty and a goal that could have easily been disallowed. Calm down
Funny, most of you only showed up after 67th minute….
1. Gerry with a J, I wasn’t playing, Man
United were.
2. Graham Kavanagh, all of me showed up in the couch at 7:30 to watch the full match on bbc. Why would only most of me show up???
Graham is just a typical ABU.
Ron, you are actually funny… Others watch and learn.
Manure truly are shite. As a Gooner bring it on. Was dreading trip to Anfield but not LVGs Manure. Hopefully another Arsenal v Liverpool final to look forward to.
A repeat of the Emirates scoreline hopefully. Arsenal are looking very good of late, gonna be interesting.
Lol, any bets on when arsenal will fall asunder this season?? They do it every year.
Wonder how many times the ball will touch the ground in this game? Good thing is both teams can field more strikers and defenders as midfield will be redundant.
So hard to watch, when united are so tame. Everything keeps being passed back.
Preston to win! Supporters will be hiring another plane to get rid of van gaal.
Phil Dowd….. Good luck to both set of players……
He always has to play a central part. Such a knob. A good ref they say is anonymous.
Remember Robbie Fowler telling ref no penalty. Rooney had a chance to show class but decided to remain his usual dirty self….
I remember Robbie pretending to snort cocaine off the pitch. Classy scouser alright.
Liverpool fan talking about class…. Ashamed of nothing, offended by everything…. LFC…
Yip… Talk now..
You said it Hank , they’re great at pointing the finger
No finger pointing, though true of some people, but rich of some of you throwing quotes only whenever it’s safe to do so…. It was 2-1, delayed dive looks worse every time you look at it….. He could have manned up… He made Ashley Young look good.
Let them have their night Graham,can’t remember United fans getting so much out of beating PNE.You can feel the relief from screen.poor Antrim was hiding under his bed till Rooney scored
Not getting excited over it, it was a game that we were expected to win and did win. I didn’t even watch it, that’s how significant it was to me. I’ll be watching the QF though. That’s 2 3-1 victories back to back now for United but the mob of haters on here are still mouthing. If we could win every game 4-0 it still wouldn’t be enough for some people.
Couldn’t give a toss about the match..love that stadium wherever it is..
Having been there, the stadium is the only good thing about Preston.
Absolutely terrible performance. Team needs someone who believes in players. LVG too quick to point out deficiencies in public. SAF always defended his players regardless of what he thought in private.
SAF? Sir Alex Ferguson I assume Mr jax floor. We already have LVG & RVP but SAF is a step too far FFS!! I mean “sir” is not part of his name, it’s only his title. Just call him Fergie like most United fans did/do.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Oops
Ooops, waited till they won before showing up?
No I was playing football actually, match was over by the time I got home.
Sure….
Believe whatever you like mate
3-0 United, would have been nice to see Victor Valdes in goals tonight doh.
A goal Sam Allardyce would be proud of
Mad how LVG can get the best out of young and fellaini but not Di Maria and Falcao lol
United for the World Cup!
Just a slight deflection
Ray Wilkins must have been blinds hero
Oh deary me….. Game on…