Yann Sommer believes Inter's 2-0 win over Serie A title rivals Atalanta was a big step towards retaining the Scudetto, even if there is still some way to go.

Carlos Augusto and Lautaro Martinez got the goals for the visitors, with the latter scoring after Ederson had been sent off for two quick bookings in the 81st minute. Alessandro Bastoni was also sent off late on for Inter.

The victory means Inter now have a three-point lead over Napoli, who drew 0-0 with Venezia earlier on Sunday and leaves Atalanta six points adrift in third.

According to the Opta supercomputer, Inter now have an 82.9% chance of winning Serie A this season, with Napoli's hopes down to 14.7% and Atalanta's sitting at just 2.3% with nine matches remaining.

"It's an important step, no more," Sommer told reporters.

"There are still nine games to go, but it is clear that it is also a sign for us to have won against a very strong opponent like Atalanta."

With the match goalless in the first half, Sommer made an impressive save from a Mario Pasalic header in the opening period to keep his side on level terms, though the goalkeeper played down his intervention.

"It was important, I was well positioned and I only had to take a step back," Switzerland keeper Sommer said.

"There are important moments during games, we were 0-0 there and it was essential not to concede goals."

It was Inter's sixth straight Serie A win over Atalanta, while it was the fourth time in a row in all competitions that they have kept a clean sheet against Gian Piero Gasperini's side.

Atalanta had gone into the game as Serie A's joint top-scorers along with Inter on 63 goals but had struggled to get in behind the defence despite having 16 shots.

Inter were at times guilty of sitting too deep in the first half, but Simone Inzaghi was delighted that they were able to get the result over the line.

"As a coach, I am very satisfied with the performance even more than the result," Inzaghi told DAZN.

"We came to Bergamo with character, we could've won it in the first half, we hit the woodwork, Lautaro Martinez had a goal disallowed that was probably legal, and the Frattesi chance.

"Atalanta are in great form, they had scored 63 goals just like Inter and we allowed them practically nothing.

"These lads deserve congratulations because we were missing a lot of players, I had 6-7 who were getting treatment [on Sunday] morning too, but with this attitude, we can do great things."