AC Milan have defeated Roma 2-0 at the Stadio Olimpico to make it five wins in a row and close the gap on their opponents to just six points.
The in-form Rossoneri, whose unbeaten run in all competitions stretches back 12 matches since before Christmas, scored a couple of second-half goals through Patrick Cutrone and Davide Calabria.
Roma, themselves on a decent run after taking nine points from the last nine on offer, now find themselves outside the top four after wins for Inter Milan and Lazio this weekend.
More than six years on from their last Serie A triumph at this venue, Milan had to stand strong at the back early on as Gianluigi Donnarumma kept out Cengiz Under and Patrick Schick.
Lorenzo Pellegrini could not quite find the target with his shot from the edge of the box, while Hakan Calhanoglu was thwarted by some good goalkeeping from Alisson late in the first half.
Just three minutes of the second half were required for the visitors to edge in front, though, with Cutrone getting to Suso's cross before Kostas Manolas and sending a back-heeled flick into the net.
Roma's response to going a goal down comprised Diego Perotti blasting wide after some good work by Schick, who was himself denied by Donnarumma from 12 yards out.
A couple of big stops were required by Alisson at the other end, however, as Franck Kessi and Nikola Kalinic both came close to extending top-four chasing Milan's advantage.
That second goal would eventually arrive 16 minutes from time through a dinked Calabria finish, having held his run after linking up with Kalinic.
For all Roma's pushing for a route back into the match, the best of the remaining chances fell to Fabio Borini, who blasted over late on at the back post.
ROMA (4-3-3): Alisson; Bruno Peres, Manolas, Fazio, Kolarov; Pellegrini (Gerson 79'), Strootman, Nainggolan (Dzeko 64'); Under (Defrel 73'), Schick, Perotti
AC Milan (4-3-3): Donnarumma; Calabria, Bonucci, Romagnoli, Rodriguez; Kessie, Biglia, Bonaventura (Montolivo 89'); Suso (Borini 82'), Cutrone (Kalinic 66'), Calhanoglu
Daniel Lewis
