Serie A: Alexis Sanchez brace sends Inter 6 points clear

Inter pull clear of second-placed Milan who were held 1-1 against Udinese on Wednesday with champions Juventus a further four points adrift with a game in hand

Alexis Sanchez struck twice in the second half as Inter Milan beat Parma 2-1 to move six points clear at the top of Serie A on Thursday. Romelu Lukaku had a role in both the Chilean forward's goals to give Antonio Conte's side a sixth consecutive league win.

Inter pull clear of second-placed Milan who were held 1-1 against Udinese on Wednesday with champions Juventus a further four points adrift with a game in hand. "It was a difficult game, Parma played well and we suffered," said 32-year-old Sanchez who started up front in place of Lautaro Martinez to lead the Inter attack alongside Lukaku. "I'm an experienced player, Conte trusts me and I'm happy. "I've always been fit and I always want to play. I'm like a lion, the more I play, the better I feel." 

Both sides had their chances in the first half at the Stadio Ennio Tardini. Christian Eriksen missed the chance to tap in for Inter in front of an open goal after half an hour following good work from Achraf Hakimi. Parma 'keeper Luigi Sepe denied Lukaku with the Belgian nodding just wide off an Ivan Perisic cross just before the break. At the other end of the pitch Samir Handanovic did well to keep out a close range Jasmin Kurtic header with Dennis Man also nodding wide. Sanchez struck for the second consecutive league game nine minutes after the break. Lukaku chested down a Marcelo Brozovic through ball with a back-heel towards goal which a racing Sanchez picked up to blast past Sepe. 

Eight minutes later the Chilean got the second, finishing off a Lukaku cross for the former Manchester United player's first brace since joining Inter last season. It was his third goal in two consecutive games to bring his tally to five this season, one more than his first season. Brazilian Hernani pulled one back for Parma in the 71st minute, connecting with a Giuseppe Pezzella cross to volley in past Handanovic. Inter held on for the three points to give themselves a cushion going into Monday's league game against fourth-placed Atalanta. "We have to fight for the Scudetto," added Sanchez as Inter target their first title since 2010 having finished second last season. "The players have grown a lot, since we lost the Europa League final we have improved a lot. "We are overcoming those steps that Inter were missing." Parma are second from bottom of the table extending their winless run to 16 consecutive league games.

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