Juventus set a new record for the best start to a Serie A season when they beat Sampdoria 2-0 on Wednesday for their ninth successive win of the campaign.

Goals from David Trezeguet and Adrian Mutu maintained Juve's 100 percent start and took them past the previous record held by the Juventus teams of 1930/31 and 1985/86.

The win also maintains Juve's five-point lead over AC Milan, who came from behind for a 3-1 win at Empoli with two goals from Alberto Gilardino and Christian Vieri's [Images] first strike for the club.

Milan host Juventus in the clash of the two main title contenders at the San Siro on Saturday.

Inter Milan suffered a surprise 3-2 defeat by AS Roma -- having trailed 3-0 after two goals from Francesco Totti [Images], the first a brilliant solo effort, before Adriano pulled back two.

Totti and Inter's Argentine midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron were both sent off after clashing in injury time.

Fiorentina move above Inter into third place after a 2-0 win at Siena, both goals coming from Serie A's top scorer, Italy [Images] international Luca Toni whose tally is now 11.

French forward Trezeguet put Juventus ahead four minutes before the break, taking advantage of some sloppy Samp defending at a corner to fire home from close range.

FLOWING MOVE

Romanian Mutu, looking at his best again following his move back to Italy from Chelsea, finished confidently in the 57th minute to make it 2-0 after a flowing move started by Brazilian Emerson and involving neat touches from Alessandro Del Piero and Trezeguet.

Juve coach Fabio Capello said he was uninterested in the record. "I'm just thinking about Saturday's game with Milan," said Capello who began his coaching career with his current rivals.

Milan, with a makeshift defence and without their injured forward, European Footballer of the Year Andriy Shevchenko, opted to rest Filippo Inzaghi and coach Carlo Ancelotti's decision to field Gilardino and Vieri up front paid off.

Ighli Vannucchi put Empoli in front with a deflected shot but Milan drew level on the stroke of halftime when Gilardino slotted in a low Kakha Kaladze cross at the near post.

Gilardino put Milan ahead with a header from a Rui Costa cross before Vieri, goalless since his close-season move from Inter, opened his account with a glancing header.

Roma earned their first win at the San Siro for 11 years with an excellent first half display against Inter which began with a Vincenzo Montella goal from close range after smart work by Brazilian Rodrigo Taddei.

On the half hour, Totti produced a stunning solo goal, running from just over the half-way line before beating Inter keeper Julio Cesar with a perfectly weighted chip from the edge of the area.

Totti then made it 3-0 after the break with a penalty before Inter launched an attempted comeback with a thundering free kick from Adriano which crashed in off the post.

Roma's Brazilian keeper Doni then gifted Adriano a second when he dropped a cross at the feet of his compatriot who slotted home but Inter were left to stomach their first home defeat of the campaign.

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