Lautaro Martinez broke his goal drought in style with a hat-trick, while Edin Dzeko got the other two as Inter thrashed Salernitana 5-0 and temporarily went top of the table.
The Nerazzurri were in crisis mode, without a Serie A win in over a month and managing just two draws from their last five competitive games. Ivan Perisic was the only absentee with a muscular issue, as Simone Inzaghi refused to rest anyone ahead of the Champions League tie with Liverpool. Salernitana were still bottom of the table even after five consecutive stalemates, including a 2-2 with Milan.
It was Salernitana who really should’ve scored in the opening minutes, as Milan Djuric was not closed down by defenders and laid it off for Simone Verdi to balloon over the bar from 15 yards.
Lautaro Martinez’s header was straight at Luigi Sepe, then another chance was crucially intercepted by Radu Dragusin.
The Argentina international was unlucky on 19 minutes, his strike on the half-volley smashing against the crossbar after a smart ball Nicolò Barella over the top.
He got his first Serie A goal of 2022 soon after, running onto an inspired Barella through ball to stroke into the far bottom corner with the inside of the right boot. His celebration allowed him to get out some pent-up rage, punching the corner flag, after 10 competitive matches without a goal.
Lautaro Martinez nearly had another moments later, forcing a save from Sepe at the near post, then Ranieri made a decisive interception to stop Denzel Dumfries tapping in the Matteo Darmian assist.
However, Salernitana countered and Samir Handanovic used his legs on Verdi at the near post.
There was another Lautaro Martinez goal from another Barella assist just before the break, the slide-rule pass through the centre releasing the Argentine to hold off Ranieri and finish into the same far bottom corner.
Federico Fazio’s last-ditch tackle stopped Barella going clear on a Lautaro Martinez pass at the dawn of the second half.
Lautaro Martinez made it a hat-trick, sliding in front of Radu Dragusin to fire into the roof of the net from eight yards on a Dzeko rolled assist from the right.
Robin Gosens came off the bench for only his second appearance in the Inter jersey and within 120 seconds had provided an assist, pulling back from the by-line on a Barella pass for Dzeko to turn in from five yards.
Dzeko completed his brace too, as it was initially ruled offside, but VAR confirmed he was behind the line of the low Dumfries cross from the right.
Tucu Correa’s angled drive whistled wide and Handanovic parried a Milan Djuric header, but Lautaro Martinez fired over an easier chance than any of the three he scored. Sepe kept the scoreline down with late saves on Dumfries and Gosens.
Inter 5-0 Salernitana
Lautaro Martinez 23, 40, 56 (I), Dzeko 64, 69 (I)