Lille hit four for the third Ligue 1 game running as they hammered struggling St Etienne 4-0 on Thursday night.
Goals from Pierre-Alain Frau, Yohan Cabaye with a penalty and Gervinho - who all scored in last weekend's 4-3 win over Lyon - put the hosts 3-0 up before St Etienne were reduced to 10 men.
Yohan Benalouane picked up a second yellow card in the 81st minute and Lille took immediate advantage, Adil Rami netting a fourth.
Rudi Garcia's men have now scored 12 goals in the last three league games - starting with a 4-0 win over Valenciennes at the end of November - and they did not give St Etienne a look-in.
The win moved then to within two points of second-placed Montpellier, albeit having played two games more.
In Thursday night's other game, Andre-Pierre Gignac netted twice as Toulouse moved up to ninth in the Ligue 1 table with a deserved 2-0 victory over Sochaux.
The hosts failed to score in the first half despite dominating proceedings, but they put that right after the break with Gignac striking twice in three minutes.
