Désiré Doué set Paris Saint-Germain on their way as they climbed back to the top of Ligue 1 with a regulation 3-0 victory over bottom-of-the-table Metz.

Doue and Bradley Barcola scored at either end of the first half at the Parc des Princes before Gonçalo Ramos made sure 13 minutes from time to seal a 16th successive league win over the visitors and leave them with just two points from the last 33 they have contested.

In the process, Luis Enrique's men took full advantage of leaders Lens' 3-2 home defeat at Monaco, PSG's midweek Champions League victims by the same scoreline, to leapfrog them and go two points clear.

The champions needed just three minutes to get their noses in front when Doue ran on to Warren Zaïre-Emery's through-ball and fired past keeper Jonathan Fischer.

Barcola and Ramos both had attempts blocked and Achraf Hakimi fired wide after being set up by Lee Kang-in as they threatened to add to their tally.

Bertrand GUAY / AFP via Getty Images

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Fischer denied Dro Fernández after he had been played through by Barcola and Hakimi went significantly closer from distance 13 minutes before the break and Barcola blazed wide three minutes later.

The keeper repelled Lucas Hernández's header in first-half stoppage time, but the second goal arrived in stoppage time seconds later when Barcola headed home from close range after the Metz defence failed to deal with a corner.

Doue made way for Ibrahim Mbaye before the restart, but it was Metz's Giorgi Tsitaishvili who was first to threaten in the second half, although his long-range 50th-minute effort was blocked.

Boubacar Traoré fired just wide on the hour as the visitors attempted to work their way back into the game, but PSG responded and Ramos and Mbaye both chanced their arm at the other end.

Luis Enrique looked to inject fresh energy with 27 minutes remaining when he sent on João Neves and Vitinha for Fernandez and Lee, but Metz's Jessy Deminguet only just failed to find the top corner with a 75th-minute strike.

However, the game was effectively over two minutes later when Ramos did find the top corner to extend the hosts' advantage.

Zaire-Emery and Hernandez both went close to a fourth as time ran down and Hakimi saw an 82nd-minute attempted blocked with the hosts looking to kill the game off.

Mbaye's attempt was blocked as the whistle approached, but his side had already done more than enough to claim the points.