Inter thrashed 10-man Milan 4-0 after Gennaro Gattuso's dismissal with great goals from Thiago Motta, Diego Milito, Douglas Maicon and Dejan Stankovic.

Anything could happen in this local clash, as the Rossoneri were fresh from a 2-1 win at Siena and the reigning champions were held by Bari on home turf. Both teams have changed a great deal this summer and are taking time to gel, but Jose Mourinho threw Wesley Sneijder in at the deep end. Not originally in the squad, his international transfer came through late last night and the ex-Real Madrid star was put straight into the starting XI. Leonardo stuck with the men who won last week despite Klaas-Jan Huntelaar finishing his ban.

Sneijder certainly made a impact, as five minutes in he unleashed a blockbuster from 20 metres that Marco Storari flew to punch out from under the crossbar.

Mathieu Flamini went into the book for a sliding tackle on Lucio, but then went on a marvellous run down the left past Douglas Maicon and Julio Cesar intercepted the chipped cross-shot into the middle. Walter Samuel's defensive error let Pato through, but The Wall managed to get a foot in to block the shot.

Pato sprinted off past Lucio and cut back for Ronaldinho, who ballooned over under pressure from Dejan Stankovic. Julio Cesar only parried a Dinho cross into the path of Marco Borriello, who wasn't quick enough to react.

Gennaro Gattuso pulled up clutching his left ankle and carried on with heavy strapping around his boot. Pato out-raced Maicon again, but this time Julio Cesar calmly ran out of his area to dribble the ball clear.

Inter held on under pressure and opened the scoring with a wonderful team move on 29 minutes. It was a series of one-touch passes to slice the Milan defence apart with Thiago Motta, Samuel Eto'o and Diego Milito for the midfielder to curl in to the back post with the inside of his left foot.

Cristian Chivu risked a penalty 30 seconds later for tugging Borriello's shirt, while Samuel was booked for scraping his studs down the back of Pato's ankle.

However, on a Milan free kick Eto'o went clear on the counter and Gattuso ran into the back of him. The referee pointed to the penalty spot, but only booked the midfielder as Alessandro Nesta was near by and ready to block, a decision that infuriated Mourinho. Milito buried the penalty high under the crossbar to double Inter's lead.

Gattuso aggravated the injury in that move and had already asked to be substituted earlier. He was about to make way for Clarence Seedorf, but the Dutchman was late putting his shirt on and so the Italian had to play on. Gattuso was clearly struggling and his late tackle on Sneijder earned him a second yellow card, but Rino walked off screaming at Leonardo and the Milan bench for taking so long over the substitution.

In stoppages Lucio volleyed a corner to bring a tough save out of Storari from point-blank range. Inter made it 3-0 just before the break, as Maicon exchanged passes with Milito and placed an angled drive into the far bottom corner past a helpless Storari.

It still wasn't over, as Julio Cesar fumbled a dipping cross and Ronaldinho couldn't quite make the most of it. At half-time Leonardo made a double substitution, introducing Massimo Ambrosini and Seedorf for Flamini and Borriello.

Eto'o drilled over immediately, as Inter were content to pass the ball around and wait for 10-man Milan to make a move. Another Sneijder dipping strike from distance landed just past the roof of the net, while Seedorf dribbled past two defenders at the byline and the cutback for Pato was intercepted by Chivu.

Thiago Motta picked up a right thigh injury and was replaced by Sulley Ali Muntari, who was refreshed as Ramadan allows him to eat and drink after sundown. Eto'o thought he had made it 4-0 on 62 minutes as he nodded in a Maicon cross, but it was correctly ruled offside.

Huntelaar made his Serie A debut for a quiet Ronaldinho, who was jeered off the field by San Siro supporters from both sides. Zambrotta cut out a cross to prevent a certain Eto'o goal, but the fourth was in the air and as the move continued Stankovic let a right-foot screamer fly from 25 metres into the top corner. It swerved past Storari with the outside of his boot.

Many Milan fans already started leaving the stadium with over 20 minutes to go, as Inter were in complete control. Huntelaar was the only one to break the siege when he ran on to pato's through ball and Julio Cesar parried the angled drive.

Sneijder received applause on his debut and was replaced by Patrick Vieira. Eto'o got past Nesta to flash a shot inches past the post, then Storari did well to palm away another Stankovic blockbuster.

Milito made way for Mario Balotelli, but Chivu was booked for bringing down Pato and Julio Cesar smothered a Huntelaar angled drive.