Scott McTominay says he has no regrets about leaving Manchester United to join Napoli after a lightning-quick start to life in Italy.

He has scored three goals in 10 appearances for the Italian club in all competitions, netting twice in Serie A to help them sit top of the table after 12 games.

Only Romelu Lukaku has scored more league goals for Napoli than him this season, while McTominay has also had the second-most big chances (four) among his team-mates, scoring two of them.

Before his transfer deadline day move, McTominay had spent 22 years at United, joining their academy aged five before making his debut in May 2017.

The Scotland international made 255 appearances for the senior team, scoring 29 goals, including 10 during his most prolific season in 2023-24, and providing eight assists.

While McTominay admitted leaving his boyhood club was not an easy choice, he is pleased with the outcome of the choice.

"Obviously, it's a big decision, there's no denying that. It was a huge decision for me and my family and my friends," he told The Times.

"At times like that in your life, you just have to say, 'Do I want to do it? Absolutely,' and go for it. There's no looking back. I've never had any regrets in my life, or my career and I continue that way to this day.

"I want my career to be successful, and I'm going to go out of my way to try and push myself to be the best football player and best person that I can possibly be."

Antonio Conte was frustrated that VAR did not reverse a penalty decision against Napoli as they played out a 1-1 draw with Inter on Sunday.

Hakan Calhanoglu failed to convert the spot kick in question late in the game, with the Turkish international having equalised for the hosts after Scott McTominay's opener.

Despite the decision not affecting the result in the end, Conte criticised VAR for not overruling the referee's decision to penalise Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa for a foul on Denzel Dumfries. 

"Can they [VAR] only intervene when it suits them? A decision from the referee like this can transform a match and VAR cannot do anything about it," Conte told DAZN.

"Either VAR is there to correct errors or it is not. If there is an error, it has to intervene. It really angers me, but it does to all coaches. It has to intervene if there is a mistake.

"If there is VAR, it must be used to correct errors or show the referee situations that he did not see. If it's a clear error, and it was, then why should [referee Maurizio] Mariani be allowed to just do that."

Despite his frustration with refereeing decisions, Conte was satisfied with his team's performance, as they held strong against a spirited second-half display from the Italian champions.

"I said that we would not come here to just be sparring partners against the strongest squad in Serie A, so it was important for us to face them with strength, character, accepting duels all over the field," he said.

"On that score, I am very satisfied. It was not easy to play here. We all know that we are making improvements and working hard, otherwise, you don't come to San Siro twice and also against Juventus without defeat.

"The lads are proving themselves, though, of course, we could've done much, much more in terms of quality today. There were too many errors, a lot of technical errors, but I am sure there will be further improvements."

Napoli's point ensured they stayed top of Serie A heading into the international break, moving them to 26 points in what is shaping up to be a tight title race. Conte's side sit one point clear of Atalanta, Fiorentina, Inter and Lazio.

Simone Inzaghi was proud of Inter's second-half performance but believes they should have come away with all three points from their 1-1 draw with Napoli. 

Hakan Calhanoglu scored with a stunning strike to cancel out Scott McTominay's opener for Napoli, but missed a penalty for the first time in eight years.

He had previously never missed a penalty in Serie A, netting 17 in a row before Sunday.

"I congratulated the team, if there was one side that should've won, then it was Inter. The second half was dominated by us," Inzaghi told DAZN.

"We went behind on a set play situation where we should've done better, but we kept our heads and did not allow Napoli practically anything.

"We hit the woodwork twice, missed a penalty, so I don’t know what more we could've done."

While Inter dominated the second half, the strike duo of Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram were largely kept quiet.

Martinez managed just two shots, worth 0.24 expected goals (xG), hitting the target with neither, while Thuram did not manage a single attempt, though Inzaghi was still impressed by their displays.

"They worked hard for the team and kept us solid," Inzaghi said.

"As a coach, I have to leave the result aside and focus on the performance, which was excellent against a quality opponent."

With nearly a third of the Serie A season completed, the title race is shaping up to be tight with Napoli leading the way on 26 points. Atalanta, Fiorentina, Inter and Lazio, meanwhile, are all on 25.

"I said this would be a very balanced campaign and that is proving to be true, but I saw a wonderful Inter tonight," Inzaghi said.

"We could probably have made more of our chances, but let us not forget the strength of the side we were facing." 

Hakan Calhanoglu went from hero to villain as Inter drew 1-1 with Serie A title rivals Napoli, scoring a stunning equaliser then missing a late penalty. 

Inter had fallen behind against the run of play in the 23rd minute, with Scott McTominay continuing his fine form by poking home from close range after a Napoli corner was flicked on.

Two minutes before the break, Calhanoglu equalised with a powerful strike from outside the box, which beat Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret before nestling in the top corner.

The Turkey international, who had scored 17 successive spot-kicks in the league for Inter, then had the chance to win it in the 74th minute after Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa fouled Denzel Dumfries.

However, he left San Siro in stunned silence when he hit the post from 12 yards, ensuring the two Scudetto contenders had to settle for a point apiece.

Napoli top the table with 26 points from 12 games, while Inter sit fourth with 25, with the Nerazzurri also behind Atalanta and Fiorentina on goal difference.

Data Debrief: Nothing to separate title rivals

Napoli may have retained their slender lead at the top of Serie A, but their failure to take all three points ensured Atalanta and Fiorentina ended the matchday two points closer than they started it.

The Partenopei have gone two straight games in Serie A without winning for the first time under Conte, having also lost 3-0 to Atalanta last time out. 

They have, however, remained unbeaten in their last two games against Inter when starting the matchday top of Serie A (one win, one draw), after two such defeats versus the Nerazzurri. If the teams are to go head-to-head for the title, this could prove an important point.

Simone Inzaghi predicts a great match-up between Inter and Napoli, who he believes are stronger and very well-organised under new coach Antonio Conte.

The teams will face off in a top-of-the-table Serie A showdown on Sunday, with Napoli currently sitting top of the pile on 25 points, with reigning champions Inter just one point behind them.

Inter enjoy facing Napoli though, recording their most home wins against the Partenopei in Serie A, winning 51 of their 78 such meetings, including each of the last four. 

Napoli were beaten 3-0 in their last match by Atalanta, but Inzaghi was quick to point out the positive changes Conte had instilled since taking over.

"Tomorrow's game against Napoli will be a good one," he told a press conference on Saturday.

"We are facing the leaders and coach Conte has already managed to give the team an excellent organisation, which is strong and of high quality."

Inter are coming off a dramatic 1-0 home win over Arsenal in the Champions League, thanks to Hakan Calhanoglu's controversial penalty.

They are now unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions, winning each of their last three, but Inzaghi knows hosting the domestic leaders will be a different matter despite their building momentum. 

"We know Napoli, they are an organised team who only conceded away goals in their first game. We know their qualities, and we are preparing to have a great match," he said.

"It's too early to talk about the table. It's the 12th game of the championship, there are so many to go. But we know that this game is important for us because it is the last one before the [international] break, and we'll try to do our best."

Antonio Conte has no intention of holding anything back when he returns to San Siro, as the top two face off in Serie A on Sunday.

The Italian revived Inter and helped them break Juventus's nine-year stranglehold on the Scudetto, stopping their run in the 2020-21 season to win the title for the first time since their treble-winning campaign in 2009-10.

Now at Napoli, a club that is looking to return to the heights of their 2022-23 title win, Conte's side sit top of Serie A with 25 points after 11 games - a point above Inter ahead of their upcoming clash.

"It's definitely nice to return to where I worked and won. Yes, two happy years," Conte told reporters.

"It was a wonderful experience that I carry within me, like all the past ones that I lived to the fullest."

Napoli's winning run in Serie A came to a grinding halt against Atalanta last weekend when Conte's side were beaten 3-0, and they have a poor recent record against Inter, having won just one of their last 10 Serie A matches against them.

Napoli are looking to avoid suffering two consecutive top-flight losses for the first time since last December, and Conte says he is in no mood to drop three points again.

"The three points is always important, it is inevitable that we face a team that today, for everything they have shown, is the strongest team," Conte added.

"We are not going to San Siro to wave the white flag before starting, but convinced to play our cards. Then we will see what happens. We are preparing in a major way, as we always do.

"It will be an important test, we will measure ourselves against the best, and it will be important to understand our progress. Do not forget that we arrive at the top of the table... and the objective is to remain at the top."

Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku has scored only one goal in his last four games, but when asked about his form, Conte said he was tired of questions about the Belgian striker.

"At every blessed conference, there is always the question about Lukaku. It becomes a bit - not annoying - but we are talking about the team. Lukaku's growth depends on the growth of the team," Conte said.

"But I am confident because I see them every day, they want to work and improve. I see a lot of commitment and I would not reduce it to a single player. It is not fair to the others."

Gian Piero Gasperini played down talk of Atalanta competing for the Scudetto despite their 3-0 humbling of Serie A leaders Napoli on Sunday.

Atalanta triumphed 3-0 at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, with Ademola Lookman scoring a first-half brace before Mateo Retegui made the points safe for La Dea.

They are now up to third in the table, just three points behind leaders Napoli and two adrift of reigning champions Inter in second.

Gasperini's team have been tipped to challenge for the title after inflicting Antonio Conte's first three-goal defeat in a home Serie A match since 2009, but he is simply taking things one game at a time.

"There are still 27 matches to go, and if you see Atalanta as winning the Scudetto I respect your opinion," he told reporters.

"However all the games are different, I don't know if we will always manage to have such a strong structure. 

"If we manage to widen the circle a bit with other players we will progress but we will see further on."

Gasperini added integrating Atalanta's new players will be key, given the rigours of combining a title push with a potential Champions League run.

"The core of the team is very strong because last year we faced the Europa League and secured a Champions League spot, playing every three days," he said.

"We lost Koop [Teun Koopmeiners] but we've brought in several players, with Retegui adapting the quickest. 

"How well we can integrate these new players will determine our competitiveness."

Vice-captain Marten de Roon echoed those sentiments, saying: "Our team achieved a great result, we showed that we are at a high level. 

"We are not thinking about the Scudetto yet, it is a word very far from our objective. We must remain humble; at the end of the championship we will see where we get to. 

"We have a very clear way of playing, always pressing high to keep the attackers high." 

Inter coach Simone Inzaghi acknowledged his side need to be more ruthless in front of goal following their Serie A win over Venezia, with matches against Arsenal and Napoli coming up.

Lautaro Martinez's first home goal in league action since February handed the Nerazzurri a hard-fought 1-0 win at San Siro, though they missed several chances to make their victory more comfortable.

Inzaghi's team racked up 20 shots worth 2.41 expected goals (xG) to Venezia's seven attempts and 1.07 xG during Sunday's game.

They have now scored in each of their 28 league games at San Siro after failing to net in three in a row between March and April 2023, but Inzaghi knows they must take their chances when they face Arsenal and Napoli this week.

"We should’ve been more clinical, but to be honest, I congratulated the team because the first half was excellent even if we wasted big opportunities," he told DAZN.

"Once we broke the deadlock, the big regret is that we didn’t kill off the game and when it is in the balance, anything can still happen."

Arsenal visit San Siro in the Champions League on Wednesday, before Napoli – who are currently one point clear at the top of Serie A – make the trip on Sunday.

"In two days we are up against one of the best teams in Europe with huge quality, so clearly my focus right now is on Arsenal," Inzaghi said.

The 48-year-old expressed concern about the challenging schedule ahead but felt relieved after seeing key players return.

"This is our fifth game in two weeks, there are another two to come against Arsenal and Napoli, but we’ve got Hakan Calhanoglu back and Francesco Acerbi will be available on Wednesday too," he said.

"Carlos Augusto is the only one still out and as a coach I will need everyone." 

Ademola Lookman scored a first-half brace as Atalanta stunned Serie A leaders Napoli with a 3-0 away win on Sunday, moving up to second in the table.

Lookman – who this week finished 14th in the voting for the Ballon d’Or – opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a volley from close range after being teed up by Charles De Ketelaere.

He then doubled La Dea’s lead after the half-hour mark with a long-range strike from another De Ketelaere pass, after Scott McTominay had rattled the post for Napoli.

Substitute Mateo Retegui added the third in stoppage time, sweeping home from Raoul Bellanova’s cross as Gian Piero Gasperini’s men extended their winning run to five league games.

Atalanta, provisionally second on 22 points, have cut the gap to their opponents at the summit to three points. 

They are one point above third-placed Inter – who have a game in hand – and Juventus in fourth.

Data Debrief: Lookman deals Conte reality check

Napoli entered Sunday’s game with the only 100% home record in Serie A this season, having won five of five on their own turf under new boss Conte.

However, they were given a harsh reality check by a potential Scudetto rival as the former Chelsea and Tottenham coach lost a home Serie A match by a three-goal margin for the first time since 2009, when he oversaw Atalanta’s 5-2 defeat to Juventus.

Lookman was the architect, and he has now been involved in more goals across all competitions in 2024 than any other Serie A player (28 – 17 goals, 11 assists).

Antonio Conte insisted that Napoli's chances of a Scudetto triumph in his first season in charge required more work rather than prayers. 

Napoli are top of the pile in Serie A, with their 2-0 win over Milan in midweek putting them four points ahead of defending champions Inter in the early season standings. 

It's a remarkable turnaround from last term, with Napoli finishing 10th in their Scudetto defence, seeing both Rudi Garcia and Walter Mazzarri lose their jobs. 

After Conte started his Napoli tenure with a 3-0 defeat to Hellas Verona on the opening day of the season, they have gone undefeated in their next nine games. 

That includes winning the last five league games in a row for the first time since a run of eight under Luciano Spalletti between January and February 2023. 

This season, only Barcelona (10) have won more games than Napoli (eight) across the top five European leagues, though Conte was reserved when asked about his team's chances of winning the title.

"I am a man of faith, even practically, and I know only one person who performs them," Conte told a press conference.

"I always pray, even for the team, that they are well. In addition to my family, there is also a prayer for the players.

"We must work, all of us, from the cook and the kit man to create something beautiful that can give extra points in a championship.

"We cannot make any mistakes in this, we are not in a position to make mistakes.

"Then, football miracles have always happened, but you have to work to hope it happens, it's not enough to pray."

Napoli welcome Atalanta to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, with Conte aiming to become the first coach in the club's history to win each of his first six home games in Serie A. 

Since 2022, Napoli have won four of their five league meetings against Atalanta. In this period, Gian Piero Gasperini's side have only lost more games to Inter (D1 L5). 

But Atalanta have impressed under Gasperini, winning the Europa League last season with a 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the final. 

Gasperini finished behind Luis de la Fuente, Xabi Alonso and winner Carlo Ancelotti for the Men's Johan Cruyff Trophy, an accolade given to football's best coach last season at Monday's Ballon d'Or ceremony. 

Conte was full of praise for his opposite number, however, saying: "They have been in the Champions League for years, it is a team that today must be counted among the strongest, without a doubt.

"Credit to the club, to Gasperini, who has done an extraordinary job in all these years, and I have great respect for Gian Piero.

"When I played at Juventus he was coach of the youth team.

"I respect him a lot. Through hard work, he has achieved results. You don't win the Europa League if you are not strong."

Napoli won 2-0 away to AC Milan on Tuesday to extend their lead at the top of Serie A to seven points.

The visitors struck twice in the first half through Romelu Lukaku and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to seal their victory and put more space between themselves and second-placed Inter Milan.

Hosts Milan were rocked by Lukaku's goal, which came in the fifth minute and was his fourth of the season, while Napoli never looked back afterwards.

Antonio Conte's side scored a second with a wonderful curling effort from Kvaratskhelia that killed the game as a contest.

Milan did have an Alvaro Morata goal ruled out two minutes into the second half after a VAR review for offside, but that was the closest they came among a handful of decent opportunities.

But league leaders Napoli were able to hold on for their fifth consecutive league victory, which was also their ninth without defeat. Milan stay eighth on 14 points.

Data debrief: Dominant Napoli are challenging for another Scudetto

Tuesday's victory puts Napoli on 25 points after 10 matches, which is almost half of their entire total (53) from the 2023-24 season.

The match was also their seventh clean sheet in their last eight matches in all competitions, while they have conceded the equal-fewest goals (five) in Serie A.

They are unbeaten since losing against Hella Verona on the opening day and have won eight of their nine league games since.

Napoli manager Antonio Conte insisted that getting into Europe is the main aim with Napoli, although is finding it harder to ignore talk of the Scudetto after they extended their lead at the top of the league to seven points on Tuesday.

Conte's side won 2-0 away to Milan to earn their eighth victory in a nine-match unbeaten run in the league, with a considerable gap having opened ahead of second-placed Inter's trip to Empoli on Wednesday.

The 25 points they have already accrued, meanwhile, constitute almost half of what they did last season (53) during a terrible title defence that saw Napoli finish 10th.

But after such a dismal season compared to how they have started this one, Conte needs to balance expectations within the club.

"Scudetto? No one is hiding. We see realistically what we are doing this year," he told DAZN.

"After 10 games, it has something of the incredible and unexpected.

"Not even the craziest would have predicted it. But we remain with our feet on the ground.

"We know what our goal is, which is to return to Europe. But there are five or six teams that have the same idea.

"Winning in Naples would be something incredible. We have given ourselves three years. We are rebuilding something and it takes time."

Having performed so well at the start of this season, Conte is aware that it will be hard to stop the fans getting carried away.

"We try to feed the dreams of the fans, but we need to have balance," he said.

"Our fans followed us with passion even today, it is right that they dream. We have to be prepared when there is some setback.

"We want to make the Neapolitan fans proud of this team."

Paulo Fonseca believes Milan's early-season rhythm has been disrupted following the late postponement of their Serie A fixture at Bologna last weekend. 

The match, scheduled to take place at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara on Saturday, was postponed 24 hours before kick-off after heavy rain and flooding in the region.

After failing to win their first three league matches, Milan have since taken 12 points from their next five games, propelling them up the standings after a difficult start. 

But with the Rossoneri not in action over the weekend, they dropped to eighth in the Serie A table ahead of facing leaders Napoli on Tuesday.

"It was tricky to manage this moment. On the eve of the game, we trained without knowing whether we’d play or not the following day," Fonseca said. 

"We wanted to play, and I think we’ve been affected by not playing in this match."

Napoli come into the game on the back of a 1-0 triumph over Lecce, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo's 73rd minute strike sealing a seventh win of the campaign. 

Antonio Conte's side are now unbeaten in their last eight league games, their best run since a run of eight straight wins in February 2023 under Luciano Spalletti.

They have also kept five clean sheets in their last six games, as many as in their previous 34 Serie A matches. 

"As the table shows, Napoli are a strong team at a good moment. They are the table leaders and will be motivated to face us," Fonseca said.

"We are also motivated to play this match against a very strong team that has won games comfortably."

Milan, however, have won just one of their last nine meetings against Napoli whent he fixture has been played in the first half of a Serie A campaign (D2 L6). 

Despite his side's league position after nine games so far, Fonseca believes Milan can win a 20th Scudetto title under his guidance.

"The fans must believe because we are a strong team and we are improving. We think we can fight for the Scudetto," he said.

Antonio Conte refused to criticise his Napoli players after they laboured to another hard-fought win against one of Serie A's lesser lights on Saturday.

One week after beating Empoli 1-0, the Partenopei overcame 19th-placed Lecce by the same scoreline as Giovanni Di Lorenzo scored on the rebound in the 73rd minute.

Napoli are now unbeaten in their last eight league games, winning seven and drawing one, their best run since February 2023, when they went on to win the Scudetto.

Despite a series of flat attacking displays, they are five points clear of nearest rivals Inter ahead of the Nerazzurri's clash with Juventus on Sunday, and Conte refused to criticise their performances when speaking to DAZN.

"I have little to reproach the team today. I look at the statistics that can mean all or nothing, but today we had great ball possession and 16 corners," Conte said.

"They defended in an organised way, but we attacked. When you attack and don't score, then a bit of nervousness can take over.

"I calmed them down, because you have to have the maturity and patience to keep going, move the ball around and create chances to score."

Calmness is what is required according to Conte, especially against teams who set up to stop Napoli playing, with Lecce adopting a defence-first approach after losing 6-0 to Fiorentina last time out.

"We did what we had to, we dominated from start to finish. I can't ask more of the players looking at the statistics from the game," Conte said at his post-match press conference.

"I can ask that when the teams close down you have to have patience and calm. I'm happy because they are very difficult games.

"The standings don't reflect fairly on Lecce, I wish them the best and I'm sure they will get salvation."

Napoli midfielder Frank Anguissa gave an insight into Conte's reaction after a scoreless first half.

"He didn't shout. He told us to continue playing as we know how, and to remain calm," Anguissa told DAZN.

"It's always difficult playing against a team that defends so low. I'm happy for Di Lorenzo and for the squad."

A second-half goal from Giovanni Di Lorenzo was enough to earn Napoli a 1-0 win over struggling Lecce on Saturday, stretching their lead at the Serie A summit. 

Di Lorenzo, who had a goal disallowed in the first half, bundled the ball into the net in the 73rd minute after his initial effort had been saved, and it proved enough to take all three points at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

Lecce, despite their lowly position and dismal run of recent results, were far from outplayed by the league leaders but fell to their fourth successive defeat and remain second from bottom in the standings with five points.

The home side's only real chance in the opening 45 minutes came close to half-time when Cyril Ngonge's effort from distance brought a save from Wladimiro Falcone, while Lecce's Federico Baschirotto also had a header saved by Alex Meret.

Napoli finally found a way through when Scott McTominay's header from a corner was parried away by Falcone and, while the keeper also got a hand to Di Lorenzo's first attempt from the rebound, Napoli's captain scrambled home at the second time of asking. 

Lecce tried to push forward in search of an equaliser but a side who have scored just three league goals all season never seriously threatened Meret's goal and Napoli, while again far from convincing, earned the all-important three points.

Data Debrief: Partenopei rearguard driving title bid

Napoli were far from free-flowing on Saturday, but as has been the case on several occasions already this season, a solid defensive performance provided the basis for a victory.

They have kept five clean sheets in their last six league matches, as many as they managed in their previous 34.

Antonio Conte's men are now unbeaten in their last eight league games (seven wins, one draw), their best run since February 2023, when they went on to win the Scudetto.