Inter missed the opportunity to move top of Serie A as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Sassuolo on Sunday.

Giacomo Raspadori struck after eight minutes at San Siro, with Gianluca Scamacca adding a second in the first half.

Simone Inzaghi's side dominated possession throughout but were unable to breach Alessio Dionisi's defence, leaving the Nerazzurri with just one win from their last five games across all competitions.
 
Leaders Milan were held by Salernitana on Saturday, but Inter – who have played a game fewer – failed to grasp the opportunity to move a point clear at the summit.

Hamed Traore skewed the first presentable chance of the contest off target before Raspadori squirmed a finish from inside the area under Samir Handanovic to open the scoring in the eighth minute.

Hakan Calhanoglu responded by firing just wide from range, but Sassuolo doubled their lead shortly after when Scamacca headed Traore's cross home with the help of the post. 

Smart Andrea Consigli stops from Milan Skriniar and Roberto Gagliardini maintained the visitors' advantage, while Domenico Berardi curled onto the crossbar in a frantic first half.

Inzaghi made two changes at the break, with substitute Edin Dzeko almost having an immediate impact.

Dzeko was thwarted from close range by a fine double stop by Consigli, before Lautaro Martinez inexplicably poked wide of an open goal.

Skriniar was then required to clear Raspadori's chip off the line and Berardi angled just wide of the far post with another sumptuous curling strike.

Inter (17) have gained the most points from trailing situations in the Italian top flight this season, and Stefan de Vrij thought he had sparked another late comeback only for his header to be ruled out by VAR for a Federico Dimarco handball.

What does it mean? Inter slip up in pursuit of Scudetto

After seeing Milan held, Inzaghi's side knew a win would take them top – a point clear of Stefano Pioli's team and four clear of third-placed Napoli.

However, after the Nerazzurri's six-game unbeaten league run against Sassuolo ended, Inter remain two behind Milan and just one clear of Luciano Spalletti's men as the race for the Scudetto continues to twist and turn.

Dionisi's side had won just one of their last eight league games, but victory on the road saw them climb above Empoli and into 11th.

Brilliant Berardi

Berardi may feel unfortunate he did not get on the scoresheet in the opening 45 minutes after sending a glorious left-footed strike against the crossbar from just outside the area.

However, the Sassuolo captain did assist Raspadori's opener, which made him the first player across Europe's top-five leagues to register double figures for both goals and assists this season.

Missing Martinez

Martinez has scored four goals against Sassuolo in the competition – only registering more against Cagliari – but the striker struggled here as he fired another blank.

The Argentina international missed a glorious second-half chance and has now not found the net in seven league appearances, his joint-longest run in Serie A (also seven matches in August 2019). 

What's next?

Inter visit Genoa on Friday, while Sassuolo host Fiorentina the next day.

Ralf Rangnick praised the way in which Manchester United reacted to adversity in their thrilling win over Leeds United.

United had looked set for a comfortable win over their old rivals on Sunday when Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes gave them a 2-0 lead, but a rapid double from Leeds duo Rodrigo and Raphinha restored parity.

But substitutes Fred and Anthony Elanga struck to ensure United opened up a four-point lead over fifth-placed West Ham in the Premier League. The Red Devils have scored 10 top-flight goals through substitutes this season, more than any other side.

And the character and maturity shown by United was of great satisfaction to Rangnick, who told reporters: "After the first 15 minutes, we had good control of the game and could have been three or four [goals] up.

"[But] within two minutes it was a completely different situation and atmosphere in the stadium. The five minutes after that were intense, very difficult for us, after that, the team showed maturity. 

"I don't know if this would have happened two or three months ago, but it happened today.

"It was not easy, even more so since we had [other] experiences like that, where we were 1-0 up or 2-1 up against Aston Villa and only got one point [in a 2-2 draw last month]. 

"It was important as an experience for the team, not only for the three points."

The 59 seconds between Rodrigo and Raphinha's goals marked the fastest that a team has scored twice in the same league game against United since West Brom in May 2013 (52 seconds), in what was Alex Ferguson's final game in charge.

But like his manager, captain Maguire was delighted with United's reaction.

"I think that [the reaction to Leeds' equaliser] was the most pleasing aspect," Maguire told Sky Sports.

"We had to stick together. We knew it's a tough place to come but we knew we had qualities and that we could hurt them."

Maguire's opener was the Old Trafford club's first goal from a corner since a 3-1 win over Burnley in April 2021, and represented the England defender's first goal of the Premier League season.

United also became the first team in Premier League history to reach 700 wins in the competition.

Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa acknowledged "it is impossible not to be worried" by the prospect of relegation after his side went down 4-2 to Manchester United.

Headers from Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes had United ahead on Sunday, before Rodrigo and Raphinha struck in the space of two minutes to level things up in the second half.

But substitutes Fred and Anthony Elanga secured victory for Ralf Rangnick's team to leave Leeds winless from their last four Premier League outings, and they sit just five points above the relegation zone.

Everton and the resurgent Newcastle United are the two teams immediately below the 15th-placed Leeds, propping the gap between Bielsa's side and the last relegation spot occupied by Watford.

Burnley, who are in 19th, are six points behind the Whites but also boast two games in hand as they look to make a late survival push following a 3-0 win at Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

With key players Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford still injured, and Liverpool and Tottenham as Leeds' next opponents, Bielsa recognises the difficult task at hand.

"It is impossible not to be worried," Bielsa told Sky Sports. "We have conceded 50 goals. Do you think I cannot be worried? How can I not feel responsible?

"We have to defend better. We are missing Kalvin Phillips and Robin Koch was substituted and we could not count on Pascal [Struijk] in midfield because he went back into defence. 

"Not being able to come with the three defensive midfielders we have, there is a weakness in the recovery of the ball.

"In the first half we started well and ended well but didn't manage to score. In the moments we lost dominance they scored.

"After we got back level we had the chance to go 3-2 up and straight away they went up and scored again. 

"We played better trying to get back into the game than when we were trying to keep a result but something has repeated that is difficult to resolve."

It was the fourth time Leeds have conceded at least four goals in a Premier League game this season – no side has done so more often so far this term.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted his first goals for Barcelona as Xavi's team moved back into LaLiga's top four with a 4-1 thrashing of Valencia.

Aubameyang's double and one from Frenkie de Jong gave the visitors a commanding half-time lead at the Mestalla, with the hosts having two goals ruled out before the break.

Carlos Soler pulled one back for Valencia, before Pedri's superb strike added some gloss to the scoreline on the hour mark.

The victory moved the rejuvenated Catalan giants above Atletico Madrid into fourth place as they chase Champions League qualification.

After a scrappy start to the contest, Aubameyang netted his first goal for the Blaugrana on 22 minutes, racing onto Jordi Alba's pass before hammering home at Giorgi Mamardashvili's near post.

Neymar has criticised the connection between the Brazil national team and their fans as he questioned whether the Selecao are as important now.

Brazil became the first South American team to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, with Neymar set to take part in Qatar in November.

However, the Paris Saint-Germain forward, who missed a penalty in a 3-1 defeat to Nantes in Ligue 1 on Saturday, believes the Selecao's games are not talked about enough and there is no hype around their outings.

"Today the national team has distanced itself from the fans, I don't know why, but I see it through the games," Neymar told Ronaldo Nazario on the Fenomenos podcast.

"There is little comment, few people know when we are going to play. And that's bad, it's sad. In this generation of mine, when the national team plays, it's no longer important.

"When I was a child, the national team match was an event. You put the Brazilian flag in the window. There was a barbecue, there was cake and there was everything at home. It was quite an event. 

"Today it no longer has that importance, I don't know how we got to this stage. I hope that everything will come back, that the fans will once again support the Brazilian team. 

"That we'll be together to go in search of the World Cup, which is what everyone wants."

Neymar has endured a tumultuous relationship with Brazil, revealing last year that he was unsure whether he could manage another World Cup with the national side due to the mental stress it imposes on him.

Brazil remain unbeaten in their 15 CONMEBOL qualifiers for the World Cup, in which they next face Chile on March 24.

Bayern Munich avoided another slip-up in their pursuit of the Bundesliga title, coming from behind to beat the league's bottom side Greuther Furth 4-1 thanks to a Robert Lewandowski brace.

Julian Nagelsmann's men went into what most expected to be a routine game enduring a blip in form, having lost their last league fixture at Bochum and been held to a 1-1 draw by Salzburg in the Champions League.

It appeared as if their poor run might be extended when Branimir Hrgota gave Greuther a surprise first-half lead.

However, Lewandowski quickly repaired the damage after the interval and an own goal from Sebastian Griesbeck followed by a late header from the Poland striker and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting's injury-time effort gave Bayern an ultimately emphatic win.

Greuther were the more threatening side in the first half and got their reward when captain Hrgota's free-kick took a significant deflection and found the top-left corner.

But Bayern needed just 30 seconds of the second half to level matters, Lewandowski turning in from Serge Gnabry's pull back from the right byline was flicked into his path by Choupo-Moting.

The visitors looked increasingly fragile at the back and the turnaround was completed as Thomas Muller's excellent right-wing cross was deflected onto the unfortunate Griesbeck, who could not avoid turning into his own net.

Bayern were not without their own problems at the back, though, Max Christiansen and Marco Meyerhofer each hitting the post for Greuther, but the points were secured when Lewandowski converted from Niklas Sule's header back across goal and Choupo-Moting had the final say after being teed up by Gnabry.

Manchester United became the first team to win 700 Premier League games following their thrilling 4-2 victory over Leeds United.

The Red Devils had to work hard for their milestone triumph at Elland Road on Sunday. Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes put them 2-0 ahead by the interval in torrid conditions in Yorkshire, but Rodrigo and Raphinha restored parity with quickfire goals early in the second half.

However, Fred scored immediately after coming on from the bench before fellow substitute Anthony Elanga netted a fourth late on.

Overall, the Old Trafford club are 90 wins ahead of Chelsea, who have won the second-most matches (610), with Arsenal close behind in third on 609.

Manchester United great Ryan Giggs has won the most games in the competition for the club, claiming 407 victories from 632 appearances. Paul Scholes is the second on that list, with 321 wins.

They have won 28 games in five different Premier League seasons – their highest return in a single campaign, including doing so in consecutive seasons (2011-12 and 2012-13, which was the campaign in which they last won the title).

United have defeated each of Aston Villa, Tottenham and Everton on 37 occasions, as well as having beaten every single side they have faced in the competition.

Of their 700 wins, 399 have come at Old Trafford, while the away venues where they have landed the most victories are Villa Park (17) and Goodison Park (17).

The only venue at which United have played multiple games in the competition and never won is Huddersfield Town's John Smith's Stadium.

Substitute Fred was the hero as Manchester United withstood a second-half fightback to defeat rivals Leeds United 4-2 and become the first team to register 700 Premier League wins.

First-half goals from Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes had the visitors seemingly coasting towards three points in Sunday's contest at a sodden Elland Road.

But Leeds' reputation for chaos coupled with United's for showing a soft centre each came to fruition as two goals in the space of 59 seconds from Rodrigo and Raphinha turned the game on its head.

There would be another twist, though, as Fred drilled home just three minutes after entering the fray to help the Red Devils secure a double over their cross-Pennine rivals, with a slice of history confirmed when fellow sub Anthony Elanga netted late on.

Blood was literally spilled by Robin Koch after a clash of heads with Scott McTominay, which later led to the Leeds defender going off.

David de Gea beat away an Adam Forshaw stinger prior to Paul Pogba laying the ball across the face of goal for Cristiano Ronaldo, who scooped a close-range effort straight at Illan Meslier.

Meslier kept out Fernandes but from the follow-up corner Maguire emphatically headed in Luke Shaw's delivery.

Fernandes then nodded in a beauty of a dinked cross from Jadon Sancho at the end of a slick counter to double the lead on the stroke of half time.

A chaotic 59-second period in the second half dramatically saw Leeds level by the 54th minute.

Rodrigo's cross from the left deceived De Gea and found the far corner, before Forshaw robbed Fernandes of possession prior to Dan James' low cross being met on the slide by half-time sub Raphinha.

But United would regain the lead when Fred hammered past Meslier at his near post after being teed up by Sancho with 20 minutes to play, and Elanga rolled home a fourth with the clock winding down.

Andrey Rublev was crowned champion at the Open 13 Provence after downing Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-5 7-6 (7-4) in the final.

Auger-Aliassime defeated Rublev in Rotterdam last week on the way to securing his maiden ATP Tour title, though all of their past meetings had required a deciding set.

Canadian Auger-Aliassime immediately broke Rublev, but the world number seven battled back to eventually claim the first set after a tense 56-minute opening exchange.

The pair twice exchanged breaks in the following set, with Rublev failing to serve out for the match at 5-4 before saving a set point at 5-6 down.

Rublev rallied from that point onwards, however, claiming his ninth tour-level triumph after a second set tie-break.

The Russian will look to become just the third man in the tournament's 30-year history to win the singles and doubles titles in the same edition when he takes to the court with Ukraine's Denys Molchanov in the doubles final.

Paulo Dybala will miss the first leg of Juventus' Champions League last-16 clash with Villarreal due to injury.

The Argentina international was forced off in the second half during a 1-1 derby draw with Torino in Serie A on Friday.

Bianconeri head coach Massimiliano Allegri appeared unworried by the injury to one of his key forwards after the game, but Juve confirmed on Sunday that the former Palermo man is expected to be out for 10 days due to muscle problems in his left thigh.

The 28-year-old, who is Juve's leading scorer across all competitions with 12 goals this season, will therefore be absent from the clashes with Villarreal on Tuesday and the Serie A meeting with Empoli on Saturday.

Allegri's side brought in Dusan Vlahovic in January but the absence of Dybala will be a big miss, the striker topping Juve's charts for minutes per goal (154.7), while he has added a team-high six assists.

Juve will also be without Daniele Rugani after he suffered a hamstring problem against Torino.

The centre-back is expected to be out of action for a similar period of time to Dybala, with the pair eyeing a return against Fiorentina on March 2 in the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final.

Andreas Christensen heaped praise on team-mate Hakim Ziyech after the winger delivered the crucial strike as Chelsea battled to victory at Crystal Palace.

Ziyech popped up in the 89th minute at Selhurst Park on Saturday to slide through Vicente Guaita's legs after seeing an earlier finish ruled out for offside.

That was the Morocco international's third goal in as many Premier League games as Chelsea continued their winning ways after Club World Cup success, leaving them third in the league with 50 points – seven away from second-placed Liverpool.

And centre-back Christensen believes the former Ajax man deserves his recent run of form in front of goal after the Blues ground out another win.

Christensen said, as quoted by Chelsea's official website: "He deserves it. He works hard. I felt a little bit for him when the first goal got taken away, and you wonder if it's going to happen, but he deserves it.

"He's very important for us especially when he scores our goals.

"At the moment we're fighting, we're scraping points, and sometimes you need that.

"We prepare well game to game, it's a little bit mentally draining, but we recover as quickly as possible. Everyone has their heads on right.

"We are still in every tournament possible so there are a lot of games. I think we're doing a good job."

Only Mason Mount (2.51) and Ross Barkley (3.57), who has played just 428 minutes across all competitions, have created more chances per 90 minutes than Ziyech (2.41) for Chelsea this season.

Likewise, Ziyech finds the back of the net 0.35 times per 90 minutes, with Romelu Lukaku (0.45) and Timo Werner (0.46) the only Blues team-mates ranking above him in that metric.

The same pair, Werner (194.3) and Lukaku (198.1), sit above Ziyech for minutes per goal across all competitions, with the 28-year-old scoring every 256 minutes.

Thomas Tuchel will be hoping his versatile winger carries his impressive run of form into the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Lille on Tuesday.