Romelu Lukaku on target for Roma in first win of season to relieve Jose Mourinho pressure

There were concerns that third-season syndrome was kicking in again for Jose Mourinho whose AS Roma side were yet to record a win after their opening three Serie A games.

However, his team ran riot against an out-of-form Empoli, scoring seven to post their first three points on the board after back-to-back defeats.

Paulo Dybala came to Mourinho’s aid and scored twice in a 7-0 mauling, as a Bryan Cristante thunderbolt and Romelu Lukaku’s first goal for the club helped hand Empoli their fourth consecutive defeat.

A scintillating Dybala put them ahead with a second-minute penalty before Renato Sanches’ unstoppable header put them in cruise control six minutes later.

There was a head-in-hands moment for Empoli pair Bartosz Bereszynski and Alberto Grassi when the defensive duo clashed which led to Grassi turning the ball into his own net as Roma capped off a dream first half.

Then, a moment of real magic from Dybala as he skipped past two before slotting the ball beyond Etrit Berisha for goal number four and the Argentine’s second in as many games this campaign.

Cristante challenged Dybala for goal of the game when he thundered an effort into the roof of the net from 25 yards as Roma began to toy with the visitors, and then came Lukaku’s moment, as he stroked the ball home under the onrushing Berisha in his last contribution of the game.

A seventh goal, courtesy of Gianluca Mancini wrapped up a result that surely gave Mourinho a sigh of relief ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Europa League test against FC Sheriff.

Serie A newcomers Frosinone continued their positive start with a 4-2 win over Sassuolo.

A win looked unlikely as Andrea Pinamonti put Sassuolo two goals to the good after 24 minutes, but a second-half turnaround - kickstarted by a world-class Luca Mazzitelli volley from the edge of the box - earned Frosinone the three points.

Fiorentina edged past Atalanta 3-2 thanks to a Christian Kouame winner in the later stages, and Lecce managed to protect their top-four status and unbeaten start despite a 1-1 draw at Monza.

Claudio Ranieri’s Cagliari remain in the bottom three following a goalless draw against Udinese.

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