Napoli forced multiple saves from Mattia Perin, but the 0-0 draw at Genoa means they won’t go joint top of the table.

The Partenopei knew a victory would make them joint leaders with Fiorentina and Inter, continuing the remarkable record of five consecutive Serie A victories. Genoa had won just one of their last 11 meetings with Napoli, home and away in all competition.

The two sides are twinned and so are their fans, so the atmosphere at Marassi was positively buzzing. Straight away Jose Callejon’s curler was palmed round the far post, while Dries Mertens saw his angled drive scrape the base of the far post.

Mertens also fired straight at Perin, but Genoa were unlucky. In the first half they lost both Ezequiel Munoz and Blerim Dzemaili to injury.

Higuain drilled wide and Perin blocked at Callejon’s feet. Napoli had the ball in the net after the restart, but the offside flag had already been raised, then Higuain’s effort was charged down and Armando Izzo got just about enough on a Callejon cross to stop Pipita tapping in.

Oliver Ntcham gave away possession to spark a counter that saw Callejon’s angled drive flash across the face of goal.

Diogo Figueiras tested Pepe Reina on the counter, but Marek Hamsik wasted a golden opportunity by scuffing the volley on a chipped Insigne pass and allowed Perin to make a one-handed save.

Both teams continued to waste chances hand over fist. David Lopez chipped up a pass to the back post, where both Insigne and Higuain went for it, getting in each others’ way.

At the other end, Pepe Reina mistimed his run and Leonardo Pavoletti’s pull-back for Diego Laxalt in front of an empty net was intercepted by Raul Albiol.

In stoppages a Manolo Gabbiadini free kick took a deflection off the wall, but Perin did well to readjust and beat it away.