Vincenzo Montella's first-half headed goal sealed Roma's slender victory against Empoli at their Olympic stadium home, while Eugenio Corini was Palermo's match-winner at Chievo.

A fourth win in five matches for both clubs lifted them to the top of the table on 12 points, one ahead of title favourites Inter who could only manage a 1-1 draw at Cagliari.

Reigning champions Inter had hoped to lift some of the gloom hanging over them after back-to-back Champions League defeats -- losses which have left them struggling to reach the knockout stages.

But a poor result against a team without a win did little to improve their mood and will inevitably increase the pressure on coach Roberto Mancini, whose team are expected to stroll to the Scudetto following Juventus' relegation and AC Milan's points handicap for match-fixing.

Mancini played down Inter's failure to overcome a stubborn but inferior Cagliari side.

"We have come out of a month of difficult matches with 11 points and to me that doesn't seem like a travesty," he said.

AC Milan, who started on minus eight points but climbed into positive territory after winning their first three matches, were held to their second consecutive 0-0 draw at home to Siena.

Fiorentina, stung by a minus 19-point start for rigging matches, thrashed Catania 3-0, while Livorno sneaked a 1-0 victory at Messina.

Sampdoria ended a run of three straight draws with a 3-2 win at home to Parma and Udinese against Ascoli ended goalless.

Roma scored what proved to be the winner in the 23 minute against Empoli.

Max Tonetto crossed from the left to Montella whose powerful header flashed into the roof of the net.

Without the luxury of a second goal, Roma could not relax and had to survive several scares in the second half before claiming the three points.

Corini's first-half strike was enough for Palermo to edge Chievo in Verona.

Playing against his former club, Corini fired home the loose ball after Mark Bresciano's cross was poorly dealt with by the Chievo defence.

Cagliari brutally exposed Inter's defensive weaknesses in the 17th minute at the Sant'Elia stadium.

Mauro Esposito skipped past two tackles down the right wing before crossing to the back post to find Leonardo Colucci unmarked, and his left-footed volley gave Julio Cesar no chance.

Inter lost Hernan Crespo, one of three strikers to start the match, on the half hour after the Argentine striker appeared to pull a hamstring when stretching for a cross.

Inter then reverted to a 4-4-2 formation and equalised in the 38th minute.

Maicon's right-wing cross was flicked on by Adriano and Fabio Grosso arrived at the back post to side-foot home.

Alberto Gilardino hit the bar and Andrea Pirlo had a goal ruled out for offside as AC Milan were frustrated by a well-organised Siena side at the San Siro.

Lazio, who started the season with minus 11 points for their involvement in the match-fixing scandal, moved closer to wiping out their deficit with an emphatic 4-0 win at newly-promoted Torino on Saturday.

Lazio captain Massimo Oddo scored twice and Tommaso Rocchi and Stefano Mauri grabbed the other goals as the Rome club comfortably secured their third straight victory.