Torino 1-3 Juventus

Higuain has scored nine Serie A goals since joining Juventus in a £75m move last summer

England keeper Joe Hart produced a number of smart saves but was powerless to stop Torino losing the Derby della Mole against Serie A leaders Juventus.

The visitors, who are bidding for a record sixth successive Scudetto, came from behind to move seven points clear.

Torino had led when top scorer Andrea Belotti thumped in a header from Daniele Baselli's right-wing cross.

But Gonzalo Higuain levelled before the break when he swept Mario Mandzukic's pass into Hart's bottom corner.

The Juventus striker put the visitors ahead with eight minutes left when he spun a defender on the edge of the Torino box before clinically drilling in a low strike.

He was denied a hat-trick by Hart in stoppage time, only for Miralem Pjanic to seal victory by hammering in the rebound at the second attempt.

Juve's advantage will be reduced when second-placed Roma host third-placed AC Milan, who are both on 32 points from 15 matches, at the Stadio Olimpico on Monday.

• Relive how Juventus won the Derby della Mole

Hart impresses despite defeat

With many Manchester City supporters questioning the merits of replacing Joe Hart with former Barcelona keeper Claudio Bravo, the England international had the opportunity to show them - and Pep Guardiola - what they were missing in the highest-profile game so far of his season-long loan at Torino.

True, Hart conceded three goals. But the home side could have leaked more without him.

The 29-year-old brilliantly denied Mario Mandzukic when the game was still goalless, preventing a deflected shot beating him with an instinctive save low to his left.

Hart dealt with almost everything else thrown at him by the champions, commanded his area and was comfortable in possession, as well as showing his undoubted shot-stopping ability.

And Pjanic's goal was particularly harsh on the keeper, who made a superb double stop from Higuain and the Bosnian midfielder before being beaten.

Although Torino offered a sporadic attacking threat themselves, the seventh-placed home side will feel the scoreline was still somewhat harsh as they lost to their neighbours for the fourth straight game.

Hart had saved 73% of his shots faced going into the Juventus game

Higuain loves playing Torino...

• Gonzalo Higuain has scored six goals in his last seven league appearances against Torino

• Torino have won only one of the past 22 derbies against Juventus

• Juve have scored 11 goals in their last three wins against their neighbours

• Torino striker Andrea Belotti is Serie A's third highest goalscorer this season with 11 goals, one behind Inter Milan's Mauro Icardi and Roma's Edin Dzeko

Elsewhere around Serie A

Belgium international Dries Mertens scored a hat-trick to lead fourth-placed Napoli to a 5-0 win at Cagliari.

Marek Hamsik and Piotr Zielinski also netted as the visitors equalled their record Serie A away win.

Inter Milan moved up to eighth as Croatia midfielder Marcelo Brozovic scored twice in a 2-0 win against 13th-placed Genoa at the San Siro.

Bottom club Palermo slumped to their ninth league defeat in a row, losing 2-0 at home to Chievo.

Sixth-placed Atalanta lost for the second game running - after winning their previous seven - in a 3-1 home defeat by Udinese, while Bologna drew 0-0 with fellow strugglers Empoli.