Atalanta miss chance to top Serie A with Udinese stalemate
Gian Piero Gasperini's side would have moved above Napoli, who host Verona on Sunday, on goal difference with a win in Udine but were a long way from their brilliant best.
"They were better than us, more intense than us. We struggled the whole first half and were lucky," said Gasperini to DAZN.
"We were a bit better in the second half but in the end it's a decent point."
Saturday's draw means Inter Milan can take second place from Atalanta if the reigning champions win at Venezia on Sunday afternoon as a three-way title race hots up.
Due to their Italian Super Cup bid in Saudi Arabia Atalanta have a game in hand against Juventus in Bergamo on Tuesday evening, after which they host Napoli next weekend.
Atalanta, gunning for their first ever Serie A title, created very little in Udine and were in fact lucky not to be beaten by the spirited hosts, who should have taken the lead on the stroke of half-time.
Alexis Sanchez hit the woodwork twice within a matter of moments right before the break, first with a header before smashing the rebound against the bar.
Goalkeeper Marco Carnesecchi could hardly believe his luck when Sandi Lovric headed the second rebound straight at him and allowed Atalanta to get away with a sub-par display in the opening period.
The away side improved in the second half but did little against an Udinese team comfortably placed in mid-table after three straight draws.
Should two teams finish level on points at the top of Serie A come the end of the season they will face off in a single match to decide the destination of the Scudetto.
Later Sergio Conceicao makes his San Siro debut as AC Milan coach against struggling Cagliari after guiding his new club to victory in the Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Conceicao has changed the atmosphere around Milan since replacing Paulo Fonseca earlier this month and is charged with re-igniting his new team's bid for Champions League qualification.
Milan sit eighth after a dismal first half of the campaign which has left the seven-time European champions 17 points behind Napoli.
Juventus take on local rivals Torino trying to close the four-point gap separating them from fourth-placed Lazio who were held to a 1-1 draw by Como on Friday night.
Nikola Krstovic boosted Lecce's survival hopes with a brace in a 3-1 win at Empoli which moved Marco Giampaolo's team three points above the relegation zone.