Vinicius and Mbappe help Real Madrid stay top of the table

Vincius Jnior struck twice and Kylian Mbapp scored before going off injured as Real Madrid beat third-placed Villarreal 3-1 to move on top of La Liga on Saturday.

Moments after scoring in the 81st minute, Mbapp sat down and clutched his right ankle. Following brief treatment he walked off unassisted and went straight down the tunnel.

The win moved Madrid two points above defending champion Barcelona, which can reclaim the lead with a win at Sevilla on Sunday but is missing star winger Lamine Yamal with a pubic injury.

Vincius netted in the 47th when he cut in from the left and his low strike clipped the heel of Santi Comesaa before wrong-footing goalkeeper Arnau Tenas.

From the penalty spot

Vincius netted from the penalty spot in the 69th after being barged over. Mbapp is Madrid’s usual penalty taker but let him have it, and Vincius squeezed a tame shot under the body of Tenas as he guessed correctly.

Villarreal winger Georges Mikautadze pulled a goal back with a fine shot past Courtois from 20 meters.

Santiago Mourio was sent off

But the hard work was undone when defender Santiago Mourio was sent off four minutes later for a second yellow card following a foul on Vincius.

Villarreal then lost the ball carelessly and Mbapp swapped passes with Brahim Daz before guiding in his 14th goal in 10 games.