Roma hit four to keep heat on Serie A leaders Juventus

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Roma reinforced their Serie A title credentials with a confident 4-1 home victory over Palermo.

All three members of the dangerous frontline -- Mohamed Salah, Edin Dzeko and Stephan El Shaarawy -- ran riot at the Stadio Olimpico while Leandro Paredes grabbed a fortuitous goal from a free kick shortly after half-time.

Robin Quaison scored a late consolation for struggling Palermo, who sit in the relegation zone as Roma climb to within two points of leaders Juventus.

It did not take long for Roma's attacking trident to start making incisions in the Palermo backline, with Dzeko setting up El Shaarawy for a shot straight at Josip Posavec before the Italian slipped a clever pass inside for the Bosnian that was swept up by Sinisa Andjelkovic.

Emerson swerved the formality of picking out a striker in the 20th minute when he took aim from distance, Posavec punching the ball out for a corner.

Roma made the breakthrough just after the half-hour mark as Paredes set up Dzeko, who twisted before slipping Salah in on the left.

The Egyptian winger finished from an acute angle and the Giallorossi had the upper hand heading into the break.

Roma's second goal came much easier thanks to an embarrassing error from Posavec.

Having won a free kick on the left, Paredes swung the ball into the box and watched gleefully as it bounced over Palermo's stumbling goalkeeper.

The Sicilians responded with attempts from Andjelkovic and Alessandro Diamanti that Wojciech Szczesny had to cover.

It was a brief distraction from the Roma show, however, and goal number three was scored in the 68th minute. Dzeko followed up his match-winning brace at Napoli with a deft finish from Alessandro Florenzi's assist.

Quaison gave Palermo brief reason to cheerful with his 25-yard drive, which deflected off Kostas Manolas to fool Szczesny, but Roma had the last word as El Shaarawy rubber-stamped the outcome from close range in the 82nd minute.