Inter boss Simone Inzaghi hailed his team's fighting spirit after Sunday's 1-0 Serie A win over Roma.
Early injuries to Hakan Calhanoglu and Francesco Acerbi threatened to derail Inter's chances on Sunday, but the Serie A champions held firm to secure the points.
Inzaghi was pleased with the team's performance and result, with Lautaro Martinez scoring the only goal of the game in the second half, but could not ignore the setbacks suffered by two key players.
"Calhanoglu wasn't in great shape over the last two days, so with the other two available I would’ve rested him this evening. He is generous and tried to put in the effort, but he felt the adductor pain and stopped before it got worse," Inzaghi told DAZN.
"Roma are a solid side with a lot of good players coming off the bench, so the fact we had to use up two substitutions was a real problem."
The victory lifted Inter to second in the Serie A table, one point behind league leaders Napoli and one point above as yet unbeaten Juventus, who they face in their next league game.
Aside from the injuries, Inzaghi was pleased with how the evening played out.
"Roma are a strong team with quality, so the lads did really well. The first half was balanced, in the second we had two or three opportunities to double our lead and should’ve killed off the game," he said.
Striker Martinez was singled out for praise by his manager after netting his third league goal of the season and 133rd for Inter in all competitions, which put him level with the club's all-time scoring record for a non-Italian.
"He just has to keep doing what he has done with Inter and Argentina. I think he is one of the five best players in the world. He deserves all of this success," Inzaghi said.
Juventus 2-2 Bologna: Mbangula keeps hosts unbeaten with last-gasp goal
Juventus came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Bologna and maintain their unbeaten start to the season in Serie A, as Samuel Mbangula's stoppage-time goal ensured they drew for the ninth time this campaign.
Juventus had been staring at a first league defeat under Thiago Motta, having entered the final half-hour 2-0 down to their in-form visitors.
Dan Ndoye gave Bologna a deserved lead on the half-hour mark and they doubled their advantage seven minutes into the second half through Tommaso Pobega.
Teun Koopmeiners pulled one back for Juventus 10 minutes later and, with time running out, Mbangula struck from outside the area to snatch a last-gasp draw for the hosts.
Though they remain the only unbeaten side in the Italian top flight this campaign, Juve sit sixth with 27 points from 15 games, their nine draws keeping them seven adrift of leaders Atalanta.
Bologna, meanwhile, are still eighth but have moved level on 22 points with AC Milan, having played one game fewer than the Bianconeri.
Data Debrief: The kids are alright for Juve
Juventus' fans may have been frustrated by watching their side play out yet another stalemate in Turin, but things could have been far worse if not for Mbangula.
The Belgian forward wrapped his foot around Dusan Vlahovic's pass on the edge of the area, bending a cultured finish beyond the reach of visiting goalkeeper Lukasz Skorupski in the second minute of stoppage time.
In Mbangula (who was born in 2004 and has two goals) and Kenan Yildiz (2005, three goals), Juve are the only team in Serie A to have multiple players born in 2004 or later with at least two goals this season.
Unai Emery sets Champions League mission as Aston Villa edge Southampton win
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is quickly turning his attention to the UEFA Champions League following their 1-0 Premier League win over Southampton.
Jhon Duran's first-half goal sealed successive league victories for Emery on the back of three straight top-flight losses against rivals Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham.
Victory against the Saints is a vital boost for Emery ahead of a crucial few weeks of action before the end of 2024.
Villa head to RB Leipzig on 10 December, looking to push their case for a spot in the Round of 16, followed by four more league clashes this month.
The immediate focus for Emery is on Leipzig, with Villa's contrasting European form a cause for concern, despite a brilliant start on their Champions League debut.
Three straight wins in their first appearance in the competition since it was renamed – including an historic 1-0 home victory over Bayern Munich – put Villa in a strong position, but defeat to Club Brugge and a 0-0 tie with Juventus has stalled their momentum.
The former Arsenal chief wants this result to act as a platform for his team ahead of their tricky trip to Germany in midweek.
"Over the 90 minutes we had chances to score more, but sometimes they dominated possession. We managed the game plan to try and find a way to win," as per quotes from BBC Sport.
"The most important thing is how we're progressively getting more comfortable on the field. We had to use substitutions because we have the Champions League on Tuesday. Three matches in nine days. We have to be ready with the players we have available to try and enjoy the competition.
"The Champions League is something we have to enjoy, but we also focus on the difficulties in the Premier League, and the challenge against Nottingham Forest is something else. But, we have to try and get to the next round of the Champions League."
Up next for Villa is that Midlands derby with Forest, followed by a crunch clash at home to Manchester City on 21 December.
A win for Villa puts them up to fifth in the table, but defeat for Southampton registers as their 12th league loss of the campaign so far, with Russell Martin's team still rooted to the foot of the table.
Individual mistakes are becoming a theme, and centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis was robbed by Duran for Villa's winner, with Martin left to rue a familiar frustrating story for his team.
"We gave away a poor goal when it was a good, tight game. We changed shape and then the game became transitional. They were trying to find another goal, so it became very open," he said.
"We're two v one, and we had a chance to clear the ball, and we don't. It's another mistake. We forced them long, and then we had another two v one, and he [Duran] somehow comes out with the ball and scores."
Up next for Southampton is a home tie with Tottenham next weekend, followed by an EFL Cup quarter-final at home to Liverpool on December 18.
JFF, Reggae Boyz Head Coach wish Antonio speedy recovery after car crash
The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has issued a statement wishing for the speedy recovery of Reggae Boyz and West Ham United striker Michail Antonio following a motor vehicle accident in Essex on Saturday.
Since news of the accident, West Ham have confirmed that Antonio is in stable condition at a London Hospital, conscious and communicating under careful supervision.
JFF President Michael Ricketts and Reggae Boyz Head Coach Steve McClaren have both offered world of encouragement to Antonio in the statement sent out by the federation this afternoon.
"On behalf of the entire group of players, support staff and technical staff, I would like to wish Michail a speedy recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with him at this time,” McClaren said.
“On behalf of the entire Jamaica Football Federation family, I would like to wish Michail a safe and speedy recovery. At this point let us keep him in our prayers as he recovers,” Ricketts added.
Further updates will be issued in due course between West Ham United in collaboration with the Jamaica Football Federation.
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