Against a Frosinone side fighting for top flight survival, Napoli took a 20th minute lead when Raul Albiol coolly flicked a volley into the net at the back post following a corner. Inter are third, with Fiorentina fourth.
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Serie A leader Inter Milan was beaten 1-0 by Sassuolo with a last-minute penalty on Sunday, a loss that may deny Roberto Mancini’s squad a chance at the Italian league’s symbolic “winter title”.
With the two goals, Higuain has consolidated his spot on the top of the scoring charts with 18 goals in 19 games.
Napoli is now in the lead, two points ahead of Inter, which was defeated on its home turf by Sassuolo: the team failed to make the most of its goal-opportunities and Sassuolo bravely attacked: 5 minutes after the 90′, it finally scored with a penalty shot kicked by Berardi.
Coach Maurizio Sarri replaced Higuain with Manolo Gabbiadini 20 minutes into the second half, and six minutes later the striker hit Napoli’s fifth. Napoli, with 41 points, are two clear of Inter and lead at the halfway mark for the first time since the 1989/90 season, the last time they won the title.
Juventus made it nine Serie A wins in a row with a 2-1 away victory over Sampdoria.
“Being winter champion means nothing”.
The team took the lead after French player Pogba scored an excellent goal and Khedira later doubled the advantage making the most of an assist by Dybala.
“They’ve won four titles in four years, so you could say they’ve got something extra we don’t”, he said.
Antonio Cassano replied for Samp, who had Niklas Moisander sent off for a wild challenge in stoppage-time.
In an entertaining match at the San Siro, both sides produced numerous chances and goalkeepers Samir Handanovic and Andrea Consigli were superb.
Sassuolo is sixth, eight points behind.
Handanovic tipped a free kick from Sansone over the bar and Consigli made an extraordinary diving save to swat away a shot from Ljajic before the break.
Inter surrendered first position in the Serie A as they lost 1-0, following a victor from Domenico Berardi in stoppage time.
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Bologna were left looking worryingly over their shoulders after going down 1-0 against Chievo Verona on Sunday, with Simone Pepe’s decisive strike on 79 minutes leaving the Emilia-Romagna-based outfit dangerously close to the relegation zone.
