A win would have moved them into seventh at the expense of their San Siro neighbours but, having led 2-1, they conceded three second-half goals in just eight minutes and ended up losing 5-4 despite Mauro Icardi completing a hat trick.

Ivan Perisic and Icardi had turned things around by the 34th minute after Mathias Vecino's opener, but Davide Astori's equaliser with almost a third of the match still to go sparked the home side's comeback.

Vecino and two from Khouma Babacar rapidly took the game away from Inter and although Icardi scored twice in the last couple of minutes -- becoming the first Inter player since Christian Vieri in 2001 to score a league hat trick away from home -- it proved too late to salvage even a point.

Atalanta maintained their push for European football next season with a hard-fought 3-2 home win over Bologna.

Centre-back Mattia Caldara proved to be the match-winner when he fired in with 15 minutes remaining to move up to fourth in the table.

The hosts took the lead after just three minutes when Andrea Conti converted Alejandro Gomez's pass before Remo Freuler doubled their advantage when he tapped in Andrea Petagna's far-post cross.

Mattia Destro pulled one back for Bologna on 16 minutes with a poacher's finish to end a frantic opening period before Federico Di Francesco levelled for the visitors with a composed left-footed strike in the second half.

But it was in vain as Caldara lashed in from six yards after he was picked out by Bryan Cristante to secure a valuable three points for Atalanta.