Monza 1-5 Internazionale: Lautaro Martínez, Hakan Calhanoglu & Marcus Thuram all score in thumping win

Serie A leaders Inter cemented their position at the top, subjecting mid-table Monza to their heaviest defeat since being promoted.

The 5-1 demolition began in the first fifteen minutes as rampant early spell saw them go two up, while three second half goals saw all the strikers on the scoresheet.

Inter’s opener came from a penalty, awarded when Roberto Gagliardini was judged to have handled the ball while challenging Lautaro Martinez for a Nicolo Barella cross.

Hakan Calhanoglu made no mistake from the spot, sending the Monza keeper the wrong way to coolly score his seventh of the season.

Inter doubled their lead just two minutes later. Henrikh Mkhitaryan led a furious Inter counter-attack, found Federico Dimarco on the left who himself played the perfect low cross into the middle. Martinez had no trouble meeting the ball and directing it into the net.

Inter might have been expected to run rampant at that point, but instead they took their foot off the gas, and Monza were happy to take any opportunity to get back into the game.

They believed they had halved the deficit on 30 minutes. An Andrea Colpani free-kick was nodded on by Luca Caldirola and met by Matteo Pessina, who headed expertly into the goal. A hint of offside was inevitably investigated and, to the dismay of home fans, Pessina was judged to have been an arm ahead.

The home side continued to press and despite the obvious danger posed by Inter on the break, were able to prevent any more goals from going in at the wrong end, while giving themselves hope of getting back into the game in the second half.

In the second period, Inter were happy to sit back and take advantage of opportunities to counter, which was how their third goal came about. Advancing in numbers, Mkhitaryan found Marcus Thuram, the Frenchman tapping a simple ball into the path of Calhanoglu for his second of the match.

The game looked to be wrapped up only for Monza to be awarded a penalty after Dany Mota was brought down by Matteo Darmian. A confident Pessina scored the spot kick to give Monza hope.

That hope was dashed on 84 minutes, when Akpa Akpro brought down Davide Frattesi in the box, with Lautaro doubling up from the subsequent spot kick.

The final blow was struck by Thuram. Lautaro carried the ball upfield before firing a crossfield pass to the Frenchman. After toying for a moment with the Monza defence, Thuram fired past the young Monza keeper to complete an almost perfect evening for Inter.

The old saying, or its Italian equivalent must have sprung to mind for some spectators this evening, as the away side ran rampant down the coast in Monza. The Nerazzurri really did look like they were enjoying themselves though, with none more than Marcus Thuram delighted to get among the goals as he added a fifth to the Inter tally. It’s easy to enjoy your football when you’re winning, but there is also the sense that if you enjoy your football you’re more likely to win. Chicken/Egg? Either way, it’s certainly enjoyable to watch Inter when they’re in their pomp.

Inter are a great team of excellent players, but their captain is of a different class altogether. Martinez is more than just a striker with double the goal tally of anyone else in Serie A. He is able to draw defenders, hold the ball up, create gaps for others, and send inch perfect crossfield passes to put team-mates in. On his day, and he has many, there is no better forward in the league.

MONZA: Sorrentino 6, D’Ambrosio 5, Caldirola 4, Gagliardini 5; Pereira 5, Pessina 7, Bondo 6, Ciurra 6; Colpani 6, Mota 7; Carboni 6. Subs: Mari 6, Akpa-Akpro 4, Kyriakopoulos 6, Birindelli 6, Colombo 5

INTER: Sommer 6; Pavard 7, De Vrij 6, Bastoni 6, Darmian 6, Barella 7, Calhanoglu 8, Mkhitaryan 8, Dimarco 8; Thuram 8, Lautaro 9… Subs: Acerbi 7, Frattesi 7, Asllani 6, Carlos Augusto 6, Bisseck 6

11’ - Penalty for Inter! A high Barella ball in from the right is knocked out for what looks at first to be a corner but the referee has been asked to review. At second glance he decides Gagliardini handled it and awards the spot kick.

12’ - Goal for Inter! No mistake from Calhanoglu who sends the keeper the wrong way, putting it low and to his left, for his seventh of the season.

14’ - Goal for Inter! A terrifying, unstoppable move begun at the back by Mkhitaryan who finds Di Marco on the left. The winger puts it into the perfect spot for Lautaro Martinez to get his toe onto it in the middle, from four yards out.

30’ - Monza goal disallowed! Heartbreak for Monza who were sure they had halved the deficit. A Colpani free kick from the left is nodded on by Gagliardini with Matteo Pessina providing the finishing header. The suggestion of offside meant we went to VAR which confirmed Pessina's shoulder was overhanging by the slenderest of margins.

60’ - Goal for Inter! Cometh the hour... It was the kind of goal they were always going to score, a rapid advance with numbers. Mkhitaryan found Thuram who tapped it into the path of Calhanoglu in the middle, the Turkish player putting the ball away with ease.

68’ - Penalty for Monza! Dany Mota's mazy run into the box all but invites the challenge from Darmian who just got his tackle wrong, and the referee has no doubt about it.

69’ - Goal for Monza! Pessina stutter steps then slides it to the left, leaving the Inter keeper flat footed. That's only the tenth goal Inter have conceded all season.

83’ - Penalty for Inter! Moments after coming on, Akpa Akpro brings down Davide Frattesi in the box.

83’ - Goal for Inter! Lautaro makes no mistake, going for power and hitting it straight down the middle.

88’ - Goal for Inter! It’s five! Monza are caught in possession, with Lautaro taking it upfield before firing a crossfield pass to Thuram. The Frenchman toys with the Monza defence and then puts it past the young keeper.

More to follow...