Marco Materazzi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic both scored on Sunday to help Inter Milan beat Messina 2-0 and win its club-record ninth straight in Serie A.
Materazzi scored with a bicycle kick in the 49th minute and Ibrahimovic added the second 10 minutes later to keep Messina winless in seven matches.
Inter coach Roberto Mancini surpassed the record for eight successive victories held by former coaches Tony Cargnelli (1939-40), Helenio Herrera (1964-65) and Giovanni Trapattoni (1988-89).
"It is an honor to be compared to these coaches," Mancini said. "But the important thing is to stay in front, so that the others feel the pressure ... Roma and Palermo have the quality to challenge us for the title."
Inter improved to 42 points, seven more than AS Roma, which beat third-placed Palermo 4-0. Palermo is third with 31 points.
Also, 10-man Lazio held on for a 1-1 draw at Livorno; Alessandro Rosina's pair of goals helped Torino beat winless Ascoli 2-0; Atalanta was held 1-1 at Siena; Parma drew 2-2 with Chievo Verona; and Fabio Quagliarella's 68th-minute goal gave Sampdoria a 1-0 win at Reggina.
Lazio remained in fifth with 22 points, one ahead of Atalanta, Livorno and Torino, which are tied for sixth.
Empoli's match at fourth-place Catania was postponed due to a waterlogged field.
At the San Siro, Ibrahimovic netted with a diagonal shot from just inside the area. The Sweden forward also hit the crossbar with a header in the 27th minute.
Messina came close to scoring on two occasions. Forward Sergio Floccari missed from close range in the 33rd and midfielder Luigi Lavecchia hit the post in the 65th.
Messina coach Bruno Giordano was expelled from the touchline in first-half injury time for not giving the ball to Materazzi at a throw-in.
The Italy defender received a yellow card for his part in the incident.
At the Stadio Olimpico, Amantino Mancini and Francesco Totti both scored twice for Roma's 11th win of the season.
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