Kylian Mbappe scored twice as depleted Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a 4-0 victory at 10-man Nimes to go top of Ligue 1. 

PSG had a long list of absentees, including Neymar, Angel Di Maria and Mauro Icardi at Stade des Costieres on Friday, yet they eased to a fifth consecutive victory. 

Loick Landre gave the champions a helping hand when he was sent off against his former club for catching impressive debutant Rafinha with a high boot just 12 minutes in. 

Mbappe opened the scoring in the first half and added his fourth goal in as many Ligue 1 games late on after Alessandro Florenzi nodded in the second, with Pablo Sarabia rounding out the scoring in the closing stages. 

Florenzi also struck the woodwork twice, while Moise Kean hit the crossbar and ought to have marked his debut with at least one goal during a game that saw Baptiste Reynet prevent Nimes from suffering an even bigger hammering. 

Leandro Paredes was forced off after he was caught by a Lucas Deaux, who was perhaps fortune to only be booked, so Ander Herrera made an early appearance off the bench.  

Nimes were a man down soon after, though, when Landre was dismissed by busy referee Clement Turpin for rashly catching Rafinha.  

Reynet produced a magnificent save to palm Herrera's downward header wide, but Mbappe rounded the keeper superbly before slotting home 32 minutes in after he was picked out by Rafinha.  

Kean had already passed up a couple of opportunities before Reynet tipped his tame effort around the post when the striker should have scored, while Idrissa Gueye and Mbappe had headers saved before the break. 

Nimes were chasing shadows and Florenzi volleyed against the post before nodding against the woodwork after Rafinha was replaced following an impressive bow. 

Florenzi was on hand to head in a second from close range 13 minutes from time, though, and Mbappe clinically added a third before Sarabia drilled home to complete an emphatic victory.

What does it mean? PSG looking ominous, Rafinha catches the eye 

There will obviously be tougher tests to come for PSG, but they also have a host of key men to bring back into the squad. 

Thomas Tuchel's side had 76 per cent possession as they toyed with Nimes, Rafinha catching the eye in his first appearance since arriving from Barcelona. 

The Brazilian midfielder made three key passes and set up Mbappe for the opener before being replaced, perhaps with an eye on a Champions League clash with Manchester United next week.

Mbappe simply unstoppable 

Mbappe was a constant menace to the Nimes defence with his pace, power and trickery - had it not been for the outstanding Reynet, he would have had a hat-trick.

The France intnernational has now been involved in 91 Ligue 1 goals since arriving from Monaco in September 2017. He has scored 68 times and provided 23 assists, a combined tally that is 21 more than any other top player over the same period. 

Landre loses his head 

Defender Landre may not have intentionally left his mark on Rafinha's chest, but he could have no complaints at seeing referee Turpin reach for the red card. 

Deaux had probably been lucky to only be shown a yellow card for a nasty challenge on Paredes earlier before Landre's early exit, with Nimes showing a real lack of discipline. 

What's next? 

PSG start their Champions League campaign at home to United next Tuesday, while Nimes' next assignment is a trip to Bordeaux a week on Sunday.