Second-placed Juventus threw down the gauntlet on Wednesday with a 5-1 thrashing of high-flying Sampdoria and Jose Mourinho's Inter side rose to the challenge with a dominant home performance - in the first half at least.
"It became a bit complicated. We've got to work to avoid that happening," Inter right back Maicon told Sky television in after Palermo fought back to 4-3.
Inter's win puts them on 25 points from 10 matches ahead of Juve, with third-placed Sampdoria now five points behind the leaders who are chasing a fifth straight scudetto.
Samuel Eto'o opened the scoring with a seventh minute penalty after strike partner Mario Balotelli, 19, was felled.
Balotelli, so often criticised by Mourinho for his immature attitude, demanded to take the spot kick and captain Javier Zanetti had to pull him away from designated taker Eto'o.
His second goal followed soon after when the uncompromising forward prodded in Esteban Cambiasso's header on the line even though the ball would have gone in anyway.
The Italy Under-21 striker then cut the ball back for Cameroon striker Eto'o to ram home the fourth at the near post just before the break.
Inter, who also lost Eto'o to injury, seemed to lose focus thereafter and Palermo's Fabrizio Miccoli quickly pulled a goal back after first dinking the ball over goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
However, Inter substitute Diego Milito settled the San Siro's nerves when he converted Maicon's excellent cross seven minutes from time.
