Lazio delivered a commanding performance in Rome on Sunday, dismantling bottom-placed Monza 5-1 to surge back into the Serie A top four.
The hosts took the lead after 31 minutes when Adam Marušić headed home, and they dominated proceedings after the break.
Pedro netted twice, while Taty Castellanos also found the scoresheet before Stefano Sensi pulled one back for Monza with an 86th-minute penalty.
However, Lazio swiftly restored their four-goal cushion just two minutes later, with Fisayo Dele-Bashiru rounding off a ruthless display.
Meanwhile, Roma endured a much tougher challenge on their visit to second-bottom Venezia but managed to grind out a 1-0 victory thanks to a 57th-minute penalty from Paulo Dybala.
The Argentine forward had been doubtful before the match, but his determination to play paid off.
“I didn’t want him on the pitch at all, but he told me, ‘I want to play’,” admitted Roma coach Claudio Ranieri after the game. The win lifted Roma to ninth in the standings, providing a much-needed boost.
Elsewhere, Cagliari secured a crucial 2-1 home win over fellow relegation battlers Parma.
The breakthrough came when Parma’s Alessandro Vogliacco inadvertently diverted Michel Adopo’s flick into his net.
Florinel Coman then marked his debut in style, smashing home a long-range effort to double Cagliari’s advantage.
Parma responded through Giovanni Leoni’s late header, but it was merely a consolation as Cagliari climbed to 13th, moving four points clear of their struggling opponents.
