Runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain got back to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over struggling Lille.
By PSG’s standards, the club have endured a torrid week, suffering their first defeat in any competition this season to Strasbourg last weekend and then losing to Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
It was the first time since December 2014 that PSG had lost back-to-back matches — although it was hardly a crisis given they won their Champions League group and stayed nine points clear of the domestic competition.
They never really looked like slipping to a third straight loss. Angel Di Maria put the hosts ahead in the 28th minute and Javier Pastore doubled their advantage four minutes after the break.
Anwar El Ghazi created the possibility of an exciting finish by pulling one back for Lille four minutes from time but Kylian Mbappe grabbed a very late third for PSG.
Lille went into the clash having won two straight matches under their interim management quartet of Joao Sacramento, Fernando Da Cruz, Benoit Delaval and Franck Mantaux, who have been in charge since Marcelo Bielsa was suspended by the club last month.
They did not have to face the world’s most expensive footballer, with Neymar suspended, but Unai Emery’s side have plenty of other danger men.
Lille looked reasonably comfortable until PSG scored the opening goal, Di Maria heading in Mbappe’s cross from very close range.
Mbappe almost scored himself shortly afterwards but his shot from the right of the box was just the wrong side of the post.
Di Maria turned provider in the 49th minute, putting the ball into the box for Pastore, who sent a right-footed shot high into the net.
Lille pushed forward and got their reward in the 86th minute when El Ghazi beat Alphonse Areola.
But PSG were lethal on the break and, after Edinson Cavani and Giovani Lo Celso both went close, Mbappe got the goal he deserved.