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Allegri heaps praise on Juventus duo Mario Mandzukic and Gonzalo Higuain

Massimiliano Allegri was pleased with Mario Mandzukic and Gonzalo Higuain's contributions in Juventus' 4-1 home win over Sampdoria.

Mandzukic gave Juventus a fourth minute lead before Giorgio Chiellini made it 2-0. Patrik Schick pulled one back for the visitors but Miralem Pjanic and Chiellini added further goals to give the defending champions a comfortable win.

Despite Higuain's failure to get among the goals, Allegri noted that the Argentine's strike partnership with Mandzukic has finally started to bloom.

"The two strikers system worked quite well, with Mandzukic next to Pipita [Higuain]," Allegri said.

"Higuain played a good game and I'm happy for Mandzukic who deserved the goal and did very well.

"Together Higuain and he moved well. It was the second game they played together and they did better than they did in the first.

"We have to work on their understanding and it was important that they were playing together. With the [next] game against Napoli, we will see if we play only one or even both of them."

While his team were clinical in attack, Allegri has urged the players to cut out errors at the back if they are to retain their league title.

"The boys were very good from the start," he added. "We unlocked them at the beginning, but then made a mistake which reopened the race. But then we closed it again and suffered no major problems.

"It was important to win again in view of the challenge against Napoli."

Juventus continue to stay top of the standings, two points ahead of Roma as they prepare for their weekend's game against fellow title contenders Napoli.