Kylian Mbappe stars as PSG win at Lens to move eight clear at top of Ligue 1

Kylian Mbappe set up one and scored another as PSG extended their lead at the top of the table to eight points with a win at Lens.

It could have been different if Lens had taken advantage of a spot-kick awarded in the sixth minute for a foul by Danilo Pereira on Faitout Maouassa.

However, Przemyslaw Frankowski struck his penalty straight down the middle of the goal and, staying rooted to his spot, Gianluigi Donnarumma pushed the ball away with his legs.

PSG took the lead on the half-hour mark when Mbappe slid a perfect ball through to Bradley Barcola who expertly clipped a shot around Brice Samba and into the net.

The hosts were reduced to ten men on the stroke of half time when Barcola's intricate dribbling drew a cynical foul from Jonathan Gradit and, after checking with the sideline screen, the referee upgraded his initial booking to a red card.

Lens were still a threat with ten men in the second half, but after starting a counter-attack, Mbappe latched onto a ball from Ousmane Dembele and fired low inside the far post to ensure PSG's victory.

We are all expecting him to move to Real Madrid and hopefully we will at least be given notice of the end to this drawn-out saga this week. There remain some unsure whether Mbappe would fit in at the Santiago Bernabeu.

It is understandable given Vinicius Jr, the man who plays in his preferred left-sided role (admittedly in a front two at present), is playing too well - including a hat-trick in today's Clasico - to be replaced. It seems foolish to put limits on a player who has in his locker more World Cup finals goals than anyone else and over 300 more before the age of 26.

But if there are those with question marks, Mbappe seems to be showing how he could easily fit into a central, withdrawn nine role. His exquisite passing was on show throughout the match, unselfishly setting up chances which with better role players, would have seen the result put beyond doubt much earlier. The half-season without Lionel Messi has allowed him to show why he is far too good to pigeon hole in a left-sided forward role and how he can coexist with Real Madrid's current star.

While some of the PSG signings still flatter to deceive, Bradley Barcola is showing he belongs in the shirt which has been donned so many fine forwards. The £40 million signing from Lyon dovetails well with Mbappe, linking with his ability to both player accurate key passes and make perfectly-timed runs onto balls from the PSG No. 7. His finish for the goal was that good, it reminded this onlooker of some slotted home by Jean-Pierre Papin some 30 years ago.

Lens: Samba 6; Gradit 5, Danso 7, Medina 5; Frankowski 6, Diouf 5, El Aynaoui 5, Maouassa 7; Sotoca 6, David Costa 6; Wahi 7. Subs: Chavez 7, Fulgini 6, Thomasson 6, Said 6, Sishuba 6.

PSG: Donnarumma 7; Marquinhos 7, Danilo 6, Hernandez 6; Ugarte 7, Vitinha 6, Zaire-Emery 6, Carlos Soler 6; Dembele 7, Mbappe 8, Barcola 8. Subs: Ruiz 5.

5' PENALTY FOR LENS! Maouassa was twisting and turning in the box and then the ball broke to Wahi who was brought down by Danilo.

7' PENALTY SAVED! The kick was drilled down the centre by Frankowski and Donnarumma stayed centrally blocking the ball with his legs. The ball fell to the Polish striker again who tried an overhead shot but it flew over the bar.

30' GOAL FOR PSG! On the counter, PSG strike, a fantastic through-ball from Mbappe set free Barcola who clipped the ball around Samba and inside the far post. They will check for offside.

45+1' BARCOLA BROUGHT DOWN ON EDGE OF BOX Gradit gets a yellow card. Twinkle toes from Barcola made the defender feel he had no option.

45+3' REFEREE CHANGES DECISION TO RED CARD! Gradit was the last man, strictly speaking.

78' WHAT WAS RUIZ DOING? Mbappe put the ball on a plate for him. But after failing to score on the last occasion, he took a touch and tried to give the ball back to Mbappe and defenders came in to clear.

89' GOAL FOR PSG! Mbappe gets another goal. As Lens pushed forward, Mbappe played the ball wide to Dembele and then patiently waited before timing his run and drilling the ball low into the far corner.