Napoli 4-0 Cremonese result - Conte's men get back to winning ways in Serie A with emphatic victory

Antonio Conte's side put the disappointment of the Lazio defeat behind them with a thumping 4-0 victory against Cremonese thanks to goals from Scott McTominay, Rasmus Hojlund, Kevin de Bruyne and Alisson Santos.

The hosts attacked from the first whistle and with less than two minutes on the clock, almost made the breakthrough. The ball was fired into Rasmus Hojlund who cleverly flicked it on to send Scot McTominay through on goal, but the Scotsman could only fire his effort straight at Cremonese goalkeeper Emil Audero.

McTominay was not to be denied a second time, however. Less than a minute later, Kevin de Bruyne played a pass into the former Manchester United midfielder who was in acres of space, and he promptly fired home a fine strike past Audero to put his side 1-0 up.

Napoli, and in particular McTominay, continued to plug away in search of a second goal and by the 40th minute mark, the Scot had attempted six shots.

After several wayward attempts, Napoli finally found their second goal just a few minutes before the break, with Rasmus Hojlund netting thanks to a huge deflection. The Danish international did well to engineer the chance, holding off a defender before bursting into space and letting fly. His effort, which was intended for the far post, took a wicked deflection off Filippo Terracciano which completely wrong-footed the goalkeeper and sent the ball rolling slowly over the line.

Conte’s men weren’t done there though, with Kevin de Bruyne netting a third for the hosts before the break. Alisson Santos dug out a cross looking for McTominay at the far post who acrobatically sent the ball back across goal, Cremonese failed to deal with the loose ball and de Bruyne was on hand to gain possession before lashing his effort past Audero from close range for only his second non-penalty goal of the Serie A campaign.

The hosts kicked off the second half in the same way they ended the first, on the front foot and looking for goals and just seven minutes into the second half, Napoli had a fourth. Cremonese piled players forward in attack and were caught out on the break, with goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic throwing the ball forward into the path of Alisson Santos, who carried it forward before cutting in on his right foot and rifling home.

Napoli had the chance to put the icing on the cake with a fifth goal less than 10 minutes from time when they were awarded a penalty following a handball, but Emil Audero guessed the right way to keep McTominay's penalty out.

Tonight's performance was the perfect response from Napoli, who all but fell out of the title race last time out after losing 0-2 to Lazio. For Cremonese, the pressure on them has intensified, and they could be cut three points adrift in the relegation zone if fellow strugglers Lecce beat Hellas Verona tomorrow.

Napoli hammer Cremonese 4-0 at the Maradona thanks to goals from Scott McTominay, Rasmus Hojlund, Kevin de Bruyne and Alisson Santos.

That is the visitor's best chance of the match by far. Barbieri sends in a good cross from the right-hand side and Antonio Sanabria from point-blank range fires his header at Milinkovic-Savic.

McTominay with a very tame penalty looking for the bottom right-hand corner but the Cremonese goalkeeper dives across to keep it out.

Giovane fires an effort on goal which is blocked by the arm of Alberto Grassi and Napoli have a penalty.

Billy Gilmour fires a good effort from distance which Audero tips behind for a corner.

Tommaso Barbieri is on for Youssef Maleh.

Eljif Elmas is on for Kevin de Bruyne.

Captain and centre half Baschirotto who wins his side a rare corner.

Napoli have had 18 shots in this match (seven on target) to Cremonese's one.

Giovane is on for Rasmus Hojlund.

Francesco Folino is on for Sebastiano Luperto.

Napoli with some fantastic one-touch passing play, the ball comes to de Bruyne who fires an effort on goal but it's easy for Audero.

Cremonese have dropped into the bottom three on goal difference below Lecce due to the four goals they've conceded so far tonight.

Cremonese made a triple substitution at the break, with Alessio Zerbin, Alberto Grassi and Jari Vandeputte on for Romano Floriani Mussolini, Warren Bondo and David Okereke.

Billy Gilmour, Pasquale Mazzocchi and Sam Beukema are on for Matteo Politano, Mathias Olivera and Stan Lobotka.

Well, that didn't take Napoli long in the second half did it! Cremonese pile players forward in attack and have been severely punished on the break! Milinkovic-Savic throws the ball forward to Alisson Santos on the left-hand side who carried the ball over 30 yards before cutting in on his right foot and firing home.

The ball is rolling at the Maradona and Cremonese have a mountain to climb.

Napoli 3-0 Cremonese

Napoli take a healthy 3-0 lead into the break thanks to goals from Scott McTominay, Rasmus Hojlund and Kevin de Bruyne.