Paul Pogba sustained Juventus' seemingly inexorable march towards a fifth straight Serie A title by completing a 2-1 comeback victory over AC Milan at San Siro.
The reigning champions suffered an early setback when Alex planted a bullet header beyond Gianluigi Buffon but Mario Mandzukic soon replied to protect Juve's unremitting unbeaten status.
Then, midway through the second half, mercurial midfielder Pogba bamboozled 17-year-old Rossoneri goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma with a looping winner.
Massimiliano Allegri's men are now nine points ahead of Napoli, who host Hellas Verona on Sunday, with six games remaining. Milan remain in sixth, seven points shy of a Europa League spot.
The biggest surprise on the teamsheet was the inclusion of Mario Balotelli, the on-loan Liverpool striker who has scored only three goals since returning to Milan.
In the early exchanges he played like his career depended on his making an impact against Juve and, after Ignazio Abate scared Buffon with an early sighter, Balotelli did announce himself.
Buffon was forced into a stunning double save after Balotelli's searing free kick almost sneaked in at the far post, with Luca Antonelli denied the close-range follow-up by Juve's wily veteran keeper.
The man who recently set a new record for most minutes without conceding in Serie A was, however, beaten in the 18th minute.
Alex recently drew first blood in a 3-0 derby victory over Inter Milan with a towering header and he repeated the trick, this time with his feet planted firmly on the ground, to boost the Rossoneri ahead.
Juve were not remotely impressed and responded fiercely, with Donnarumma desperately covering his near post when Stephan Lichtsteiner came knocking.
He touched Claudio Marchisio's dipping drive over the crossbar but could not keep Mandzukic out in the 27th minute.
After Buffon launched the ball down the pitch, Alvaro Morata shrugged off Alessio Romagnoli's challenge to supply his Croatian teammate for a coolly taken finish.
The giants traded further blows before the break but come the half-time whistle it was all square.
Balotelli briefly appeared to have restored Milan's lead after play resumed, but his surreptitious attempt to punch a saved effort over the line did not escape the attention of referee Daniele Orsato.
When they had stopped laughing Juve pushed forward and Pogba soon got Donnarumma working with a free kick that the teenage stopper could only push onto a post.
In the 65th minute Pogba got the better off the Milan defence and their unfortunate young keeper.
From a throw-in, the French midfield dynamo controlled the ball on his chest before bouncing it off the turf and over Juraj Kucka's head to leave the unsighted Donnarumma with no chance.