Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri has given credit to his players for overcoming a slow start in their 3-0 victory over Palermo this afternoon.

Partenopei reduced the deficit to leaders Juventus to five points thanks to goals from Christian Maggio, Gokhan Inler and Lorenzo Insigne.

However, Mazzarri admitted that his team were still asleep when Andrea Dossena - who left the club for Sicily earlier in the week - had an early chance to put the visitors ahead.

"We started the game on the wrong foot and Andrea Dossena very nearly scored," Football Italia quotes Mazzarri as saying. "But we woke up and did well to score when we weren't actually playing that well.

"The second half was a much more relaxed affair in which we really played as a team.

"I think that Napoli, Juventus and Lazio are all having fantastic campaigns. Are we the anti-Juve? I am pro-Napoli and anti-nothing. We carry on along our path and see what happens in the second half of the season."

Napoli travel to face Fiorentina next Sunday.