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Kylian Mbappe had trials with Chelsea and Real Madrid before breaking into the Monaco team

Kylian Mbappe scored his first Ligue 1 hat-trick as Monaco thrashed Metz to restore a three-point lead over Paris St-Germain at the top of the table.

The 18-year-old, who is being watched by Arsenal, external-link steered in his first from Radamel Falcao's header down.

Falcao turned in a second before Mbappe cut in from the left to make it 3-0.

The teenager slotted in another to become Ligue 1's youngest hat-trick scorer since Jeremy Menez for Sochaux in 2005, before Falcao added a fifth.

Mbappe's hat-trick was his second at senior level in all competitions - having hit three in a 7-0 win over Rennes in the Coupe de France in December.

It was the perfect response from Leonardo Jardim's side, after PSG had moved level on points with them by winning 3-0 at Bordeaux on Friday.

The one setback for Monaco was an injury to Gabriel Boschilia, whose through pass set up Mbappe's hat-trick goal.

Boschilia was carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury after being caught by a challenge from Metz defender Jonathan Rivierez.

Nice, in third place, visit Rennes on Sunday (14:00 GMT).