Gonzalo Higuain impact: 'Juventus have €90m less in the bank, but an extra three points'

Massimiliano Allegri could not hide his delight as Juventus tripped up Serie A leaders Napoli to deliver a psychological blow to their title challengers at their San Paolo Stadium. In an key early clash in the battle for the Scudetto defending six-time champions Juventus move second just one point behind Napoli, who suffered their first defeat in 15 games this season. Inter Milan - now the only unbeaten team – can claim the championship lead on Sunday when they host Chievo as Roma kept well within the title chase with a 3-1 win over 10-man SPAL on Friday to sit fourth, just four points behind Napoli with a game in hand. "We needed a real Juventus performance tonight and that's what we produced," Allegri said after former Napoli man Gonzalo Higuain – playing just days after surgery on a broken hand – scored the only goal after 12 minutes. "We had to dig in because we were up against a great side but we didn't give them an inch," the Juventus manager added. "Perhaps we've focused more on trying to play nice football than being solid up till now, but the big games are won in defence, and so we proved tonight." Allegri insisted however that Napoli – looking to end their 28-year wait for the Serie A title – remain the team to beat. "We may have won today but we're not the favourites for the title – Napoli and Inter are. "If we want to win a seventh straight title – after three years when we've fought to the end in pretty much every competition we've played in – we're going to have to produce something extraordinary. Ordinary is not enough." Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon made some key saves for a clean sheet on the night, in a boost ahead of next week's Champions League trip to Olympiakos in Greece. "It had been a while since I kept a clean sheet here – it feels good!" former Italy keeper Buffon said after his side's first win in Naples in nearly three years. "Our mentality and approach were spot on and we stayed tight as a unit. "If we play like that, we send out the message that Juve are in the mix and we're here to stay. Let's not get carried away just yet though: if Inter win on Sunday, we'll still be third, and I'm not going to celebrate third place." Napoli manager Maurizio Sarri said the individual brilliance of Higuain, who left in 2016 for Turin in a €90 million (Dh393.2m) deal, was the key for the champions. "Higuain is a phenomenon in these situations. Juventus have €90m less in the bank, but an extra three points. I know Juventus are not loved in Naples, but while Gonzalo was with us, he behaved impeccably." ______________ Read more Italy's World Cup 'Apocalypse' caused by decade-long decline and Ventura's reign Inter, Milan, Napoli and Roma well placed to offer muscular resistance to Juventus To join Messi at World Cup Higuain must play well for Juventus, says manager ______________ Napoli were also badly missing Polish striker Arkadiusz Milik whose knee ligament injury means Dries Mertens remains the only centre-forward. "Unfortunately, Arek got hurt at the worst time, as the transfer window was closed and we couldn't bring anyone else in," Napoli captain Marek Hamsik said. Napoli take on Feyenoord in the Netherlands in the Uefa Champions League next week looking to qualify for the last 16.

Gonzalo Higuain impact: 'Juventus have €90m less in the bank, but an extra three points'

Argentine striker scores against former team and Serie A leaders as reigning champions come away with three points