Scottish Serie A title hopes receive major boost as Napoli avoid being dethroned in 74-minute match

Scottish hopes of landing the Serie A title have received a major boost - without kicking a ball.

Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour are bidding to become the first Scots to win the scudetto after helping Napoli to the top of the table with the season now 60 per cent complete.

The midfield pair joined the Naples outfit in the summer with McTominay in particular enjoying a fruitful first campaign in Italy since departing Manchester United with six goals and four assists in 22 appearances. Gilmour has found game-time harder to come by since moving from Brighton but has still played his part, mostly from the bench, but particularly during October and November where he started five consecutive league matches.

Scott McTominay is bidding to win the Serie A title with Napoli alongside Scotland team-mate Billy Gilmour. | Getty Images

Inter Milan are Napoli's closest challengers, sitting three points behind in second place, but they had a chance to overtake the league leaders and claim top spot when they played their game in hand away to Fiorentina on Thursday night.

The match was rescheduled after the original fixture in December was abandoned in the 16th minute when Fiorentina's Edoardo Bove suffered a heart attack on the pitch, which he has since recovered from having had a pacemaker fitted.

The rearranged match restarted from the 16th minute with the game still goalless. Inter's superior goal difference meant if they won the 74-minute match they would leapfrog Napoli into first place in Serie A with 15 matches remaining.

However, a resounding 3-0 defeat at the Artemio Franchi Stadium meant Inter missed their chance, leaving Napoli and their Scottish contingent three points clear in the title race having played the same number of games as their nearest challengers.

Napoli are next in action on Sunday when they host 10th placed Udinese while Inter face Fiorentina again, this time at the San Siro, on Monday evening.