Nigerian star Terem Moffi scored twice and made another goal as a resurgent Nice inflicted a 3-0 defeat on derby rivals Monaco in Ligue 1 on Sunday, a result that completed a miserable few days for the principality club.
All the goals in the Cote d'Azur derby came in the first half at the Stade Louis II, with Moffi getting in behind the home defence to score a brace, his first goals since joining Nice from Lorient in the January transfer window.
Moffi then set up the third for Khephren Thuram, the former Monaco midfielder whose father, France great Lilian, was watching from the stand.
Nice remain unbeaten since 36-year-old Didier Digard replaced the sacked Lucien Favre as coach last month, with six wins and two draws in eight matches seeing them creep into European contention.
Monaco's defeat comes just three days after they were knocked out of the Europa League on penalties by Bayer Leverkusen and leaves them still third in the table.
However, second-placed Marseille could move five points clear of Monaco if they beat league leaders Paris Saint-Germain in Sunday's late match.
PSG went into that game five points ahead of Marseille at the top despite recent stuttering form.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Jeremy Doku's goal gave Rennes a 1-0 win away to near neighbours Nantes in a meeting of two more clubs who went out of the Europa League in midweek.
The result lifts Rennes -- who lost to Shakhtar Donetsk on penalties in Europe -- back above Lille into the European places in fifth.
