Striker David found the back of the net on 16 minutes to put Lille, who have won their last three games, on 45 points from 21 matches, behind PSG on goal difference.

The result left Rennes on 36 points from 21 games.

Third-placed Olympique Lyonnais are two points behind PSG and Lille after they demolished archrivals St Etienne 5-0 away.

At the Roazhon Park, Lille started well as David scored from close range after goalkeeper Romain Salin had tipped a corner into the Canadian’s path.

The visitors had a penalty ruled out by the VAR as David was offside when he was fouled by Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd in the 24th minute.

Rennes took no risks for fear of Lille’s counterattacks and Christophe Galtier’s side comfortably held off the hosts in the second half.

At Geoffroy Guichard, St Etienne were missing 10 players who tested positive for Covid-19 and Les Verts were no match for Lyon.

The visitors went ahead after 16 minutes when Tino Kadewere scored from close range from Memphis Depay’s corner.

Marcelo doubled Lyon’s tally nine minutes before halftime, heading home Leo Dubois’s freekick. Just before the hour, Marcelo netted with another header from another Dubois set piece.

Kadewere rubbed salt in St Etienne’s wounds with a left-footed effort in the 68th minute, after being set up again by Depay, for his ninth goal of the season.

Things got even worse for St Etienne when Denis Bouanga deflected Depay’s freekick into his own net with eight minutes left.