Mbappe on target as Real Madrid defeat Espanyol
Striker Kylian Mbappe, who is in excellent form, scored once more to help Real Madrid secure a 2-0 victory against Espanyol on Saturday, widening their advantage at the summit of La Liga.
Under Xabi Alonso, Madrids side has triumphed in every one of their initial five league matches, with the French forward Mbappe contributing five goals in the elite division.
Centre-back Eder Militao struck first with a powerful long-range effort after 22 minutes, and Mbappe added the next with a fine finish from beyond the area shortly after the interval.
Real Madrid now lead the runners-up, title holders Barcelona, by five points, as the latter prepare to welcome Getafe on Sunday.
Jude Bellingham, representing England, came on as a late substitute towards the end, marking his return following shoulder surgery over the summer.
"Things could not be going smoother for us," said Madrids defender Dani Carvajal to Real Madrid TV.
"The positive aspect is that we are improving in executing the coaches vision, grasping the ideas, and the outcomes are following suit."
Carvajal expressed satisfaction with the squads performance, noting greater defensive resilience compared to much of the previous campaign.
"`I believe the showing was thorough, and we faced minimal threats defensively,´ added Carvajal.
"We depart as frontrunners, holding the top position, and we achieved our goal."
Mbappe, fresh from converting two penalties in their midweek success against Marseille to kick off the Champions League, aided Alonsos charges in preserving a perfect record in all tournaments.
His strike sealed the result following Militaos header that put Madrid in front.
Alonso reintegrated Vinicius Junior into the starting eleven and handed a uncommon opportunity to young forward Gonzalo Garcia in the forward trio.
Espanyol last overcame Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in 1996, yet they entered this fixture in third place after a strong start to the term.
Nevertheless, their trip to confront the Whites proved sobering, with Madrid dominating from start to finish.
Even with their control, it required a thunderous shot into the upper corner from distance by defender Militao to unlock the scoring.
Red-hot Mbappe
Mbappe narrowly missed the target after neat play from Vinicius prior to the break.
The Brazilian winger has found himself on the bench a few times under Alonso and remains short of peak condition, though he assisted Mbappes follow-up goal.
After surging with possession, Vinicius passed to Mbappe, who rifled a low drive beyond keeper Marko Dmitrovic at the post from afar.
Vinicius struck the woodwork after Espanyols Serbian shot-stopper pulled off an impressive double stop to deny Mbappe.
In the closing moments of an easy outing for Real Madrid, Alonso introduced Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga for their seasonal debuts.
Prior to that, Levante claimed a convincing 4-0 triumph over Girona, who ended the match with only nine players on the pitch.
The Catalan outfit, who secured third spot last season to qualify for the Champions League, languish at the foot of the standings without a victory so far.
"Five matches in, we stand as the leagues poorest side, and our only option is to train diligently," remarked manager Michel Sanchez.
"It falls to me to elevate this group, and I shall. Escaping this rut will prove challenging, but we refuse to surrender."