Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri says club are back in Serie A title hunt

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has sent out a warning to the rest of Serie A that his impressive crop of young stars are back in contention for the title.

The Old Lady are targeting a fifth consecutive Italian championship and are putting their miserable start to the season behind them to close within two points of leaders Napoli at the weekend.

Allegri's men ran out 4-0 winners over Chievo in Verona on Sunday and are targeting a club record of 13 successive league wins with the visit of Genoa on Wednesday.

After being ruled out of title contention at the start of the season, Allegri was only too happy to announce the Turin giants are back.

"Our 12 consecutive wins are a signal to the rest of the league that we are back in contention for the title," Allegri said.

The 48-year-old has brushed aside the importance of record-setting feats under his tenure by calling on the likes of Paul Pogba, Alvaro Morata - who hit a brace at Chievo to take his goals tally for the week to four after netting twice in a 3-0 rout of Inter Milan in the first leg of their Italian Cup semi-final - and Paulo Dybala to start living up to their price tag.

"I think we can make improvements both collectively and individually," said Allegri, highlighting one of several misses by Pogba before the Frenchman found the net just after the hour mark in Verona.

"Pogba's final effort on goal is a case in point, when he struck the crossbar by hitting the ball too hard. Instead, he might have opted to place his shot to better effect."

A 13th consecutive win on Wednesday would allow Allegri to overtake the club record of 12 set by former coach Antonio Conte in the 2013-2014 season.

But Allegri added: "To me, records don't matter. What's the point of winning 20 in a row if it doesn't win you the title."

Napoli travel to Lazio looking for their seventh win on the trot and with Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain in the hunt for a 23rd Serie A goal in as many games this term.

Roberto Mancini, meanwhile, will watch from the stands when Inter host Chievo looking for their first win in five games after he received a one-game ban and a fine of 5,000 euros for arguing with the referee and making an insulting gesture at Sunday's derby defeat to AC Milan.