Gonzalo Higuain nets double as Juventus cruise past Bologna

Serie A leaders Juventus returned from their winter break to demonstrate their fearsome Scudetto credentials with a 3-0 dismantling of Bologna on Sunday night.

Gonzalo Higuain reached 12 league goals for the season by scoring in each half, with Paulo Dybala celebrating his first start since a lengthy injury lay-off with a successful penalty just before half-time.

Roma's narrow victory at Genoa earlier in the day had slashed the gap to first place to a single point, but Massimiliano Allegri's men are once again four points out in front and boast a game in hand.

Juve underlined their dominance in Italy throughout 2016 with a 1-0 victory over closest rivals Roma in the middle of December, but AC Milan would deal them a blow to morale just before Christmas.

A mid-season trip to Qatar for the Italian Super Cup failed to deliver the Old Lady's third piece of silverware in the calendar year as the Rossoneri forced a 1-1 draw before triumphing on penalties.

Eager to put that disappointment behind them and restore winning momentum in Serie A, Juve set about lowly Bologna with vigour in Turin, and the opening goal arrived after only seven minutes.

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The author of the stunning strike that downed Roma several weeks ago, Higuain made it five goals from his last five outings in Bianconero with a searing volley to convert Miralem Pjanic's lay-off.

Bologna could not get a look in for the rest of the first half, with Federico Di Francesco only managing to drive his low sighter into Neto's gloves in a tame display of rebellion.

Claudio Marchisio came closer with a similar effort at the other end in the 23rd minute and, shortly before half-time, Juve were handed an opportunity to double their lead.

Marios Oikonomou was the villain as he brought Stefano Sturaro down in the Bologna box to concede a penalty which Dybala gladly slotted home to record his first goal since October.

The wave of positivity sustained Juve through the break and they returned to the pitch determined to add to their advantage, which they would do in the 55th minute thanks to a familiar source.

Sami Khedira and Stephan Lichtsteiner linked up well down the right before the Swiss drifted a pinpoint cross onto Higuain's head, from where the ball flew cleanly into the back of the net.

The Argentinian hotshot, who cost Juve €90 million from Napoli in the summer, could not find a hat-trick goal before being replaced by Mario Mandzukic.

Allegri led a standing ovation for Higuain, who is likely to be rested for Wednesday's Coppa Italia meeting with Atalanta as the hotly anticipated trip to Fiorentina looms large next weekend.