Napoli have maintained their unbeaten start in Serie A with a comfortable 4-0 win over newly-promoted Livorno at home.

With Gonzalo Higuain sidelined, Napoli coach Rafael Benitez started Goran Pandev in attack, and the forward took just three minutes to reward his faith.

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Pandev angled home after fine approach play from Dries Mertens, who drove into the final third before picking out the striker with a precise pass.

Livorno were compact and organised for much of the first period but fell further behind on 26 minutes.

Inler was the player who extended Napoli's advantage with a strike from distance, but Livorno goalkeeper Francesco Bardi was largely responsible, parrying a soft shot into his own net.

The visitors pressed through Innocent Emeghara and Duncan before the interval, but were unable to reduce the deficit.

Napoli effectively killed off the contest early in the second half through Jose Callejon, who turned home after collecting a slick pass inside from Pandev.

Bardi then went some way to atoning for his early error by parring a free kick from Mertens, with the Azzurri settling for a 4-0 win that moves them up to second in Serie A.

Marek Hamsik helped Napoli add gloss to the scoreline late on, smashing in from close range after a sweeping break started by Lorenzo Insigne.