Inter Milan held onto top spot in Serie A as Mauro Icardi’s goal earned a slender 1-0 victory at Empoli.

The league leaders at Christmas were briefly deposed by Fiorentina, who beat Palermo earlier on Wednesday, while Juventus had managed to draw level on 36 points with their home victory over Hellas Verona.

But Inter – far from convincing against a plucky Empoli side – are again a point clear of La Viola following Icardi’s strike in first-half stoppage-time at the Stadio Carlo Castellani. 

Mauro Icardi celebrates after scoring what would be the winner for Inter Milan against Empoli on Wednesday 

Argentine Icardi shoots firstt time to beat Empoli keeper Lukasz Skorupski  at Carlo Castellani stadium

Fiorentina maintained their pursuit of a first title in almost 50 years with a 3-1 win at Palermo.

Paulo Sousa’s Tuscans were largely grateful to Josip Ilicic, who returned to the Stadio Renzo Barbera to smash a brace past his previous employers.

Alberto Gilardino also scored against his former paymasters to set up a nervy finish, but Jakub Blaszczykowski made sure of the win with a third goal for Fiorentina.

Juventus stormed back into the Scudetto race by beating hapless Hellas 3-0 to register an eighth straight win.

The reigning champions made a poor start to the season, spending most of the autumn in mid-table after kicking off their latest title defence with back-to-back defeats.

But they are now well and truly in the fight, thanks to goals from Paulo Dybala, Leonardo Bonucci and substitute Simone Zaza in Turin.

Marek Hamsik hit the winning goal as Napoli moved into third place with a 2-1 home victory over Torino.

Lorenzo Insigne’s stellar goal set the tone for a one-sided match at the Stadio San Paolo but Torino levelled with a Fabio Quagliarella penalty, meaning Hamsik had to force the issue before half-time. 

Ivan Perisic’s outstanding lead-up work finds Icardi at the near post to score in added time in the first-half

Emanuele Giaccherini’s 82nd-minute goal stunned seventh-placed AC Milan as Bologna snatched a 1-0 victory at San Siro, while Roma were held to a 3-3 draw at Chievo.

Substitute Simone Pepe had the last laugh in a thriller at the Stadio Marc’Antonio Bentegodi.

Champions League-chasing Roma were two goals up in Verona thanks to Umar Sadiq and Alessandro Florenzi, but Chievo hit back through Alberto Paloschi and Dario Dainelli.

Iago Falque then thought he had grabbed a late winner for Roma, only for Pepe to climb off the bench to score.

Ten-man Sassuolo shared the points with Frosinone after a 2-2 draw at the Mapei Stadium.

Gregoire Defrel cancelled out Federico Dionisi’s opener for Frosinone and Diego Falcinelli spoiled the visitors’ fun by equalising after Arlind Ajeti scored. Sassuolo took a point, but had Lorenzo Pellegrini sent off at the death.

Udinese held off Atalanta to secure a 2-1 victory in the early kick-off at Stadio Friuli.

Cyril Thereau’s seventh goal of the season and Stipe Perica’s second were enough to render Marco D’Alessandro’s late response for Udinese redundant.

Elsewhere, Lazio’s inconsistent form carried into the new year as relegation-threatened Carpi ground out a goalless draw at the Stadio Olimpico.