Inter Milan defender Stefan De Vrij was pleased with the manner of victory over Crotone.

De Vrij says they showed the right "patience" to find victory.

“The step we made this year was that we learned to have patience, not getting stressed out or frantic, as sooner or later we know that we'll score, which is what happened today," De Vrij told Inter TV.

“I don't think we felt the pressure of being the leaders. We concentrated on the pitch and I think we've really grown.

“We brought home an important victory. It's a real pleasure for us to work together in defence, as we've known each other for years now and played so many games. We keep honing that rapport and we communicate a lot on the field. We've improved so much.

“I feel that I have improved individually too, learning a great deal. I am happy with the progress I've made, but there's a long road ahead of me yet. You never stop learning."