PARIS — Kylian Mbappe scored twice and grabbed an assist as runaway Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain coasted to a 4-0 win over Dijon on Saturday despite the absence of the suspended Neymar.

Pablo Sarabia struck the opener inside three minutes at the Parc des Princes, as PSG played without Neymar who was serving a one-match ban after his red card in last week's win over Bordeaux.

Dijon are hovering just above the relegation play-off place but held out for 70 minutes before PSG added a second through Mbappe.

The France international then set up Mauro Icardi for a third goal just moments after the Argentine came on as a replacement for Edinson Cavani.

Mbappe bagged his second and PSG's fourth in stoppage time as Thomas Tuchel's side preserved their 13-point lead over Marseille at the top of the table.

The hosts were already without Marco Verratti due to suspension and injured captain Thiago Silva, and lost Angel Di Maria to a thigh problem early in the first half.

By that point they were already leading through Sarabia's ninth goal of 2020 — and PSG's second quickest of the campaign — after he redirected a mishit shot from Marquinhos.

Dijon goalkeeper Alex Runarsson produced a number of saves to keep the visitors in touch, but he was eventually beaten again when Mbappe rounded the Iceland international following a slick ball through from Julian Draxler.

Mbappe turned provider when he helped the ball across for Icardi to apply a sharp finish on 74 minutes. He then increased his league-best goals tally to 18 in stoppage time after a scramble in the area.

Marseille strengthened their grip on second place on Friday as Dario Benedetto scored a hat-trick in a 3-2 win at lowly Nimes.

The 29-year-old Argentina international, who joined from Boca Juniors last year, has now scored 11 league goals this season.

Andre Villas-Boas' Marseille now sit 11 points clear of third-placed Rennes and 10 points adrift of runaway leaders Paris Saint-Germain.

Nimes forged ahead in just the fifth minute as they went in search of a fifth win in six Ligue 1 games, when Algerian youngster Zinedine Ferhat reacted quickest to score after Nolan Roux's shot was saved by Marseille goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.

The visitors wasted little time in getting back on level terms, though, as Bouna Sarr squared for Benedetto to tap in just five minutes later.

Marseille moved in front in the 36th minute, as Dimitri Payet released Benedetto, with the Argentinian lobbing the ball over Nimes 'keeper Paul Bernardoni while the home defence appealed for an offside flag which never came.

Benedetto completed his first Marseille treble midway through the second period, latching onto a loose ball inside the box to lash home left-footed.

Lucas Deaux pulled one back for Nimes in injury time, but it was too little, too late for the hosts, who remain in the relegation play-off place. — AFP