Edin Dzeko netted twice to become Serie A's leading scorer and the player with the most goals for Roma in a single season as they beat Empoli 2-0 at Stadio Olimpico.

The Bosnian striker was given an easy ride by Empoli's defenders, who frequently left him unmarked despite seeing him head the ball narrowly over the crossbar as early as the eighth minute.

But the visitors did not get off so lightly when Leandro Paredes' corner was flicked on by Antonio Rudiger in the 12th minute and Dzeko was left unchallenged as he turned the ball into the net with his knee.

That goal took Dzeko level with Andrea Belotti on 22 for the season, and he surpassed the Torino striker's total after 56 minutes when Mohamed Salah headed Diego Perotti's cross back across the face of goal.

Dzeko hooked the ball past Lukasz Skorupski from point-blank range to take his tally in all competitions to 33 - a club record.

Salah hit the crossbar himself with a header after 69 minutes and Empoli went close to pulling a goal back when Marcel Buchel arrowed a left-footed shot just over the crossbar.

With one eye on overturning a 2-0 deficit in Tuesday's Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against arch rivals Lazio, Roma coach Luciano Spalletti replaced Dzeko with Francesco Totti after 73 minutes, and the veteran forward helped the home side see out their fourth consecutive victory in all competitions.