Serie A-Under Fire Balotelli Helps Inter Win
Balotelli, who was replaced by Samuel Eto'o at halftime, headed in a corner in the 42nd minute after Bologna's Marcelo Zalayeta had cancelled out Diego Milito's opener for the champions.
Esteban Cambiasso drove home a diagonal strike in the 72nd to seal a win that gives Inter 32 points from 13 games, eight points more than second-placed Juventus, who can cut the deficit back down to five by beating Udinese at home on Sunday.
Balotelli has been criticised several times recently for his attitude by Mourinho, who gave the 19-year-old a mark of "close to zero" for his performance in Inter's 1-1 draw with AS Roma before the international break.
Balotelli celebrated his goal by raising his finger to his lips and commentators on Sky TV suggested reaction was probably in response to racist chants from a section of the home crowd.
Before scoring he wasted a glorious chance when his hesitation allowed Bologna goalkeeper Emiliano Viviano to close him down before he shot.
"We won well, without any problems, we deserved it," Mourinho told Sky.
"Mario had a normal first half. He missed one chance but he scored another," he said, adding that he brought him off to avoid the risk of a red card after he was booked.
Inter had bad luck with the score at 1-1 when a Dejan Stankovic strike hit one post and then the other before Viviano scrambled to the ball, while Milito rattled the crossbar before Cambiasso nailed their third goal.
They had full back Maicon sent off in stoppage time, apparently for dissent.
Later on Saturday (1945) Fiorentina can join Juventus in second place if they beat Parma at home.
EPL-Chelsea and Man Utd win While Arsenal Lose
United kept pace with the leaders by beating Everton 3-0 at home in the late match to move up to second after Arsenal's 14-match unbeaten run ended with a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.
Chelsea, who set a club record of 12 straight home wins, have 33 points from 13 matches to United's 28. Arsenal are on 25 with a game in hand.
Carlo Ancelotti's sparkling Chelsea side were dominant from the start at Stamford Bridge, strolling into a 3-0 lead after 22 minutes with Florent Malouda opening the scoring with a left-foot shot in the fifth.
Michael Essien made it 2-0 with a 12th minute header and grabbed another 10 minutes later. Joe Cole made it 4-0 in the 56th, unleashing a low, right-foot shot off a pass from Salomon Kalou for his first league goal in more than a year.
"It was an easy game because we played very well," Ancelotti, who gave French teenager Gael Kakuta his Premier League debut, told Sky Sports. "When Chelsea play at their best, it's difficult to play against Chelsea."
Wolves stayed second from bottom with manager Mick McCarthy saying: "We are in a relegation dogfight from now on."
UNITED DOMINANT
United went ahead in the 34th minute at Old Trafford when Darren Fletcher smacked a swerving half-volley into the top left corner and doubled their tally in the 67th through Michael Carrick.
Antonio Valencia made it 3-0 with a deflected shot in the 76th after the ball was laid on by Paul Scholes.
"The second goal put us in the comfort zone and from there on I didn't think we could possibly lose it," United manager Alex Ferguson told ESPN television.
"If we get to the New Year within a point, or a point ahead, or level, then we have a great chance (to win the title) in the second half of the season."
Injury-hit Liverpool and big-spending Manchester City squandered their chance to move up to fourth place after battling to a 2-2 draw at Anfield in the lunchtime kickoff.
Sunderland had Darren Bent to thank after his 71st minute goal stunned Arsene Wenger's high-scoring Arsenal.
"We stifled them in the middle of the park," said Sunderland manager Steve Bruce. "It's okay to have a game plan but you've still got to go out and do it and they (Sunderland's players) stuck to their task."
Wenger, without injured Dutch striker Robin van Persie, said: "It is a big setback. You do not prepare yourself to drop points in a situation like that. It's frustrating."
WEAKENED LIVERPOOL
Liverpool, in danger of going out of the Champions League next week, were forced into making two unscripted substitutions within the first 18 minutes of a scrappy first half at Anfield.
Defender Daniel Agger suffered concussion and needed five stitches after collapsing with a gashed forehead in the fifth minute following a clash with Kolo Toure in the goalmouth.
Ryan Babel followed him off with an ankle injury and was replaced by Yossi Benayoun, making an early return from a hamstring injury and scoring the 77th minute equaliser.
City striker Emmanuel Adebayor and midfielder Stephen Ireland had put the visitors 2-1 ahead after Martin Skrtel gave Liverpool the lead five minutes into the second half.
There was also plenty of action at the other end of the table, with Hull City scoring three first-half goals to come back from 2-0 down against West Ham at the KC Stadium. Hull were then reduced to 10 men in the 54th and the match ended 3-3.
Aston Villa came from behind to draw 1-1 at Burnley with a goal from substitute Emile Heskey and leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur, who play at home to Wigan Athletic on Sunday, in fourth place on goal difference.
Birmingham City moved away from the drop zone by beating visitors Fulham 1-0.
