Internazionale 4-0 Cagliari: Lautaro Martinez at the double as Champions sweep aside strugglers with ease

Inter Milan returned to the top of the Serie A table with a crushing 4-0 win over Cagliari at the San Siro.

Two goals from Lautaro Martinez and one each from Alexis Sanchez and Hakan Calhanoglu were enough to complete the rout as Simone Inzaghi's side leapfrogged their city rivals AC Milan.

The visitors were passive and poor throughout, but they couldn't get close to the hosts and their attacking mindset, as they controlled possession and the tempo of the game throughout, peppering Alessio Cragno's goalmouth.

Martinez opened the scoring on 29 minutes with a powerful header from a pinpoint Calhanoglu corner, and the Argentine would be denied by Cragno from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time as the visiting goalkeeper made amends for his foul on Denzel Dumfries just prior.

Sanchez doubled the cushion five minutes after the interval, leathering an emphatic finish beyond Cragno after a delicious Nicolo Barella cross. Calhanoglu would show why he's been voted Serie A's player of the month for November with a fabulous strike from distance; cutting inside off the right with too much time and space, planting his effort into the top corner to make it three.

Martinez finally got his second with a delicate finish through the keeper's legs to make it four; Barella the architect again with a delightful clipped ball over the top that the striker controlled competently, finishing with aplomb. Walter Mazzarri saw his side blown away, but Inzaghi won't care, as the Nerazzurri reach the summit again, looking to defend the Scudetto.

It was a masterclass in attacking play from the champions today.

They were free-flowing, making all the right runs and producing all the right sorts of finishes, but the visitors can't have any complaints.

Yes, when visiting the home of the reigning champions, it might seem wise to sit in and defend for your lives, but Cagliari were poor in their defensive third, and were fortunate not to be even further behind, with Cragno to thank in particular.

Calhanoglu and Barella were superb in controlling the tempo of the game and Martinez was that goalscorer with the killer instinct, ending any away supporters' slim hopes of an upset with the very first goal of the game.

Inter: Handanovic 6, Skriniar 7, de Vrij 7, Bastoni 8, Dumfries 7, Barella 8, Brozovic 7, Calhanoglu 8, Perisic 7, Sanchez 7, Martinez 8, Dimarco 6, Vidal 6, Satriano 6, Sensi 6, Zanotti 6.

Cagliari: Cragno 8, Caceres 6, Godin 6, Carboni 5, Bellanova 6, Deiola 5, Marin 6, Grassi 5, Dalbert 5, Pedro 6, Keita 6, Pavoletti 5, Zappa 5, Obert 5, Oliva 5.

The two goal hero.

The Argentina international spearheaded the home attack with great skill and professionalism, dragging the supposedly-organised Cagliari defensive unit all over the place, creating space for Barella and Calhanoglu to orchestrate in the pockets, with Sanchez acting as the terrier; harrassing out of possession and picking up thorny positions that would hurt the sides of the visiting defenders.

A great performance from the striker, but an all-round excellent display from Inter as a whole - there could have been four or five as man of the match, but Martinez takes it with his brace.

29': GOALLL!!! Lautaro Martinez nods in at the front post from Hakan Calhanoglu's delivery. A fantastic cross as Inter score from a set piece again. 1-0.

44': PENALTY! Cragno is booked as he takes down the onrushing Dumfries in the one on one, as the ball wriggles through. The Dutchman knocked Sanchez's pass aroud the keeper, and he's chopped down. Saved!! Cragno makes amends and keeps Martinez out!

50': GOALLL!!! There's the second. Barella's cross, Alexis Sanchez hits it sweetly, to get his first goal of the season!

66': GOALLL!!! Calhanoglu scores a fantastic goal! Given too much space and time, he drives in onto his right from the left, and he cracks a beauty into the top corner. 3-0.

68': GOALLL!!! There's four. Martinez at the double, Inter have another. Sent through chasing a wonderful clipped ball over the top from Barella, and the Argentine slides it between the legs of Cragno.