Neymar scored four times while Edinson Cavani equalled Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Paris Saint-Germain all-time goalscoring record as the runaway Ligue 1 leaders thrashed Dijon 8-0 on Wednesday.

Angel Di Maria struck twice inside the opening quarter-hour at the Parc des Princes before the Argentine provided the cross for Cavani to net his 156th PSG goal.

Neymar marked his return from a rib injury with the hosts’ fourth just before half-time, and the Brazilian made it a hat-trick with two more second-half strikes as Dijon were mercilessly ripped apart.

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Kylian Mbappe piled on further misery for the visitors 13 minutes from time before Neymar notched his fourth of the evening from the penalty spot – denying Cavani the chance to make club history and eliciting whistles from home supporters. “[Cavani] is our goalscorer and he’s improved a lot here. The team helped him to achieve this individual mark,” said PSG coach Unai Emery, who was quick to defend Neymar’s decision to take the spot-kick.

“I think Neymar took the penalty because it was also a good day for him. We’re happy with it. But there will be lots more chances for Cavani to score more goals.”

Argentine Di Maria, who grabbed the winner in Sunday’s 1-0 victory at Nantes, needed just four minutes in Paris to put the home team ahead with a stunning left-footed strike into the top corner.

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The former Real Madrid and Manchester United winger added a second when he applied the final touch after Neymar lifted the ball over Dijon goalkeeper Baptiste Reynet following a ball through from Cavani.

The Uruguayan then netted his league-best 20th goal of the season by heading in a right-wing cross from Di Maria, pulling level with the record Ibrahimovic set across four seasons in the French capital.

The Neymar show

Image credit: PSG

Neymar made it 4-0 on 42 minutes with a sublime free-kick, with the world’s most expensive player pouncing on a miscued clearance to double his tally just before the hour.

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He then struck a sensational third goal of the night with a run that beat several Dijon defenders and culminated in a crisp low drive from the edge of the area.

Neymar released Mbappe as the teenager scored within five minutes of replacing Di Maria, while the Brazilian rounded out a record home win for PSG from the spot after Cavani tumbled to the ground.

“It was a very, very good PSG against a Dijon side that unfortunately didn’t put up much resistance. We were almost perfect today,” PSG defender Thomas Meunier told Canal+. PSG have yet to drop a point at home this season and lead Lyon by 11 points, with a trip to face Bruno Genesio’s men next up for the league leaders at the weekend.

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Nabil Fekir scored his 15th goal of the campaign as Lyon defeated Guingamp 2-0, with 19-year-old midfielder Houssem Aouar also on target at the Stade du Roudourou. “Nabil’s performance was extraordinary. He’s been on a roll since the start of the season. He’s at an international level and doing it consistently, which is a good sign for us,” Genesio said.

Claudio Ranieri’s Nantes conceded a last-gasp penalty in a 1-1 draw at Toulouse, as Max-Alain Gradel salvaged a point for the hosts by cancelling out a first-half header from Slovenia international Rene Krhin.

Yann M’Vila endured a chastening return to French football as his Saint-Etienne debut ended in a 3-0 defeat at bottom side Metz, who won for the third time in four outings.

-AFP