Milan, Italy (My Sportsbook) - Mario Balotelli scored two goals and set up two more in the first half and Inter Milan held on despite surrendering three straight goals to Palermo in the second half, 5-3 on Thursday at the San Siro.

Balotelli scored in the 34th and 42nd minutes, and drew a penalty and provided an assist that Samuel Eto'o turned into two goals.

Palermo responded with three goals in an 18-minute stretch in the second half, two by Fabrizio Miccoli, but Diego Milito sealed Inter's win in the 82nd.

Inter moved four points clear of Juventus atop Serie A.

Balotelli started his impressive performance in the seventh minute by drawing three defenders to him on the right side of the area, where he was taken down to earn a penalty.

Balotelli walked in to take the penalty, but was escorted out by a teammate as Eto'o waited to bury the spot kick. Eto'o easily scored to the left side, with Palermo goalie Salvatore Sirigu diving the opposite direction.

Balotelli doubled the lead in the 34th off a corner, jumping to meet the pass at the near post to head into the upper-right corner. His second goal finished off a shot from Esteban Cambiasso that was slowly rolling toward the line, but needed to be tapped in with Sirigu scrambling to make a save in the 42nd.

Eto'o was set up again by Balotelli less than a minute later, as the 19-year- old drew a pair of defenders to leave space for Eto'o to easily finish from a few yards out.

Miccoli cut the lead to three in the 49th, and Abel Hernandez added Palermo's second goal in the 62nd. When Miccoli added his second in the 67th, finishing a perfect chip shot from the corner of the six-yard box over Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar, Inter was on its heels until Milito provided some relief.

Milito, who replaced Balotelli early in the half, capped the win with an easy tap-in off an assist from Maicon as Inter avoided a complete collapse to post its eighth win of the season.