Inter fight back for 5-3 win over Udinese as Roma stay perfect ahead of Serie A summit

Inter overcame a two-goal deficit inside the opening sixteen minutes to hammer Udinese 5-3 on Monday, preserving a perfect start to their Serie A title defence. Roma kept pace with a 2-0 win at Torino, meaning both clubs headline the table with 12 points ahead of their meeting at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday. Como climbed to third on 10 points after edging Parma 2-1.

• Inter recovered from 0-2 down to beat Udinese 5-3 at the San Siro.
• Roma won 2-0 in Turin and remain level with Inter on 12 points.
• The two leaders meet on Saturday at the Stadio Olimpico.
• Como rose to third in Serie A after their 2-1 win over Parma.
• In La Liga, Real Betis beat Villarreal 2-1 to move into third place.

Inter show champion's response as Udinese cause early panic

The defending champions endured a torrid start at home. James Abankwah headed Udinese in front after nine minutes with a free header, and Jurgen Ekkelenkamp doubled the lead seven minutes later with a close-range finish. The visitors had Inter on the ropes and threatened to deliver one of the weekend's biggest shocks.

Inter's fightback began with a long-range strike from Carlos Augusto that flew into the bottom corner. Nicolò Barella drew the hosts level ten minutes before the interval, and from there Inter seized control of a contest that had started in alarming fashion.

Thuram completes the comeback and Stones limps off for Inter

Marcus Thuram capped the turnaround in the 59th minute, converting from inside the box after Andy Diouf's cutback from the byline. Francesco Esposito added a fourth and Ange-Yoan Bonny made it 5-2 with eleven minutes left. Idrissa Gueye pulled one back for Udinese in stoppage time, but it was little more than a late consolation.

The victory came with a concern for the hosts, as John Stones limped off with an apparent hamstring issue just after the hour. The England centre-back was making his first start since joining on a free transfer during the summer, and Inter coach Cristian Chivu admitted the player would need further tests. "I don't know — I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet," Chivu told Dazn. "I think he felt something in his flexor muscle, and he will probably need to undergo some scans."

Roma keep pace with victory in Turin as Gasperini praises his attacking pair

At the Olimpico Grande Torino, Roma made it four wins from four thanks to goals from Donyell Malen and Niccolò Pisilli. Malen broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time by pouncing on a misplaced pass from goalkeeper Lucas Perri that Paulo Dybala intercepted. Pisilli rounded off the win deep in added time, firing home from a tight angle after Gianluca Mancini kept the ball alive near the byline.

Clearly these are two very talented players individually, but they also complement each other as a pair. They combine beautifully to create goals in many matches.

Gian Piero Gasperini, Roma's head coach, was full of praise for the understanding between Malen and Dybala after another statement victory. His side now heads into Saturday's showdown with Inter knowing that top spot is there for the taking.

Como and Cesc Fàbregas emerge as Serie A's early surprise package

Como continued their remarkable week by beating Parma 2-1 at home, with Jacobo Ramón and Kaiki Bruno on target for Cesc Fàbregas's team. The result follows their winning Champions League debut against RB Leipzig and lifts them to third place in the standings. "This is an important victory for me as a coach, because I am starting to see what kind of team we could become," Fàbregas said.

Real Betis climb to third in La Liga after comeback at Villarreal

In Spain, Real Betis sealed a 2-1 win at Villarreal to move third in La Liga and leave their opponents in the relegation zone. Gerard Moreno opened the scoring for the home side, but goals from Cucho Hernández and Natan turned the match around for the visitors, who finished the weekend level on points with Real Madrid.

Moreno did not hide his frustration after another setback for the Yellow Submarine. "Right now everything is going against us — teams are punishing us," he told Movistar. "We have to stick together and demand more from ourselves. Maybe when we go behind, anxiety kicks in and everything gets harder. It is hard to explain how few points we have. Now more than ever, we have to be a team."

What is at stake in the Inter-Roma showdown and across Europe

Inter and Roma hold a shared lead on 12 points, and their encounter at the Stadio Olimpico will determine sole control of Serie A. Como sit three points back in third as the early surprise package. In La Liga, Betis's away success in Villarreal tightens the upper half of the table and strengthens their claims for a European berth.