Ezequiel Lavezzi scored a hat-trick as Paris Saint-Germain returned to the top of Ligue 1 with a 6-1 win over 10-man Lille.
PSG went ahead less than 60 seconds into Saturday's match at the Parc des Princes as Maxwell fired home Serge Aurier's cross at the back post before Edinson Cavani raced through to add a second with a delicate chip that glanced off the underside of the crossbar.
Cavani turned provider in the 28th minute for Lavezzi, who was then teed up for his second two minutes before the break by Blaise Matuidi as PSG provided a rampant response to their UEFA Champions League elimination by Barcelona in midweek.
Lille pulled one back through Marko Basa's header, but Cavani continued the rout with a coolly converted spot-kick after Sebastien Corchia was sent off for hauling down Lavezzi. The Argentina international rifled home to complete his treble 13 minutes from time.
The win puts three points clear of Lyon - who visit Reims on Sunday - although coach Laurent Blanc has more injury issues to contend with as Aurier and goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu both came off in the first half with problems.
At the other end of the table, third-bottom Evian's hopes of survival were dented by a 2-1 home defeat to Bastia.
The hosts took the lead through Gilles Sunu's 42nd-minute goal, but a double from Francois Kamano turned the game around for Bastia - the 18-year-old's second goal three minutes from time left Evian one point adrift of safety and moved the Corsicans three clear of danger.
Metz missed a chance to move within six points of survival with a 1-1 draw at Bordeaux. Wahbi Khazri's equaliser seven points from time earned a point for Willy Sagnol's men, after Ferjani Sassi had put the 19th-placed side ahead in the first half.
Brittany clubs Rennes and Nantes both benefited from late goals in their games. Anders Konradsen's 90th-minute effort earned Rennes a 2-1 success over Nice, while Alejandro Bedoya netted an 88th-minute equaliser to hand Nantes a 1-1 draw at Toulouse.
Fellow Brittany outfit Guingamp enjoyed a far more comfortable day's work as Claudio Beauvue and Sylvain Marveaux found the net to secure a 2-0 away triumph over Caen, who remain just a point above the bottom three.
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