Bellingham scores one and assists as Mbappe also nets in comfortable Madrid win

Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Kylian Mbappe all scored as Real Madrid won 3-0 at Girona to move within two points of La Liga leaders Barcelona.

Bellingham opened the scoring somewhat against the run of play, prodding home a loose ball he reacted quickest too.

The Englishman then turned provider after the break, setting Guler free with a brilliant through ball which preceded a tidy finish.

Bellingham appeared to pick up an injury after an hour and was replaced, the only sour note on an otherwise excellent evening for him personally, but walked off without a limp.

Girona’s first shot on target did not come until the 61st minute and off it Madrid counter-attacked to devastating effect, with Luka Modric playing in Kylian Mbappe who scored from a tight angle, much to the big-money striker’s obvious relief.

Second-placed Madrid now have 36 points to Barcelona’s 38 but have played one game fewer. Girona are eighth, seven points off the top-four pace.

Bellingham came through with clutch goals so many times for Real Madrid last season, and the same pattern is beginning to repeat this campaign after a slow start.

It’s now five straight La Liga games with a goal for Bellingham, three of them his team’s first of the match. If what proved to be the winning goal in this one wasn’t enough, he also laid on Madrid’s second with a super through ball – albeit Guler still had plenty to do.

Madrid are so often a team of moments, rather than one which controls games with a vice-like grip, and Bellingham has a fantastic knack of delivering in those moments.

Bellingham’s poacher’s goal a brilliant assist decided this match, so it could not be anyone else.

Girona: Gazzaniga 7, Arnau 6, Lopez 6, Krejci 7, Gutierrez 6, Romeu 6, Martin 5, Van de Beek 5, Asprilla 7, Miovski 6, Gil 6. Subs: Danjuma 6, Ruiz 5, Portu 5.

Real Madrid: Courtois 6, Vazquez 6, Tchouameni 7, Rudiger 6, Mendy 6, Valverde 6, Bellingham 8, Modric 6, Barhim 6, Guler 7, Mbappe 6. Subs: Ceballos 5, Endrick 5, Garcia 6, Asencio 6, Yanez n/a

36′ – GOAL! GIRONA 0-1 REAL MADRID (BELLINGHAM) – After nice Madrid build-up play, Girona block a cross from the left but are then too slow to react. Bellingham pounces before a pair of defenders and pokes the ball goalwards – going in through Gazzaniga’s legs.

51′ – FANTASTIC SAVE! – Modric floats a free kick onto the head of Tchouameni – seven yards out – and that header produces a super reflex save from Gazzaniga.

55′ – GOAL! GIRONA 0-2 REAL MADRID (GULER) – Bellingham breaks the lines with a through ball Guler runs on to, and under pressure the Turkish youngster fires left-footed into the bottom corner. A goal in a flash – and a brilliant goal at that.

62′ – GOAL! GIRONA 0-3 REAL MADRID (MBAPPE) – Mbappe beats the offside trap with a well-timed run, Modric slips him in and from a tight angle, Mbappe fires a low shot home.