Dybala, Higuain strike as Juventus humbles Lazio

Milan - Paulo Dybala hit a fifth-minute opener and Gonzalo Higuain added a quick second as Juventus humbled Lazio 2-0 on Sunday to restore its four-point lead over Roma.

Despite a poor record against the Turin giant in recent years, Lazio travelled to northern Italy looking to end the Serie A champion's 26-match unbeaten league run at home.

But Juve manager Massimiliano Allegri overcame a number of enforced absences to send out a reshuffled side that should have finished with a far more generous tally, Higuain, his 87th-minute replacement Marko Pjaca, and several other players spurning scoring chances in a fairly one-sided encounter.

Juve's 16th win of the campaign leaves Allegri's men four points ahead of Roma, which can reduce the gap to a point with a win over Cagliari in Sunday's late game.

Napoli sits third, also at four points off the pace, following a 2-1 win at AC Milan on Saturday that left the Rossoneri fifth, 11 points behind Juventus.

Left smarting by a 2-1 defeat at Fiorentina last week, Allegri rested key defender Andrea Barzagli and although wingback Dani Alves returned from injury, the former Barcelona star was only fit enough for a place on the bench.

Lazio was missing suspended Senad Lulic, with Dusan Basta sidelined with injury and striker Keita Balde Diao at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Simone Inzaghi's men had lost their last eight meetings with Juve, home and away in all competitions, and despite their good intentions, they were soon playing catch-up.

On Juve's first real chance, Mario Mandzukic nodded the ball into the path of Dybala for the Argentinian to send a delightfully-hit volley with the outside of his boot past Federico Marchetti and into the far bottom corner.

Lazio was stunned again barely 10 minutes later, although the visitor's defence allowed Higuain to run in unchecked to meet Juan Cuadrado's delivery from the right flank on 17 minutes.

It was Higuain's 14th goal in 19 appearances and left the Argentine only one behind league leader Mauro Icardi of Inter.