SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain (AFP)-Kylian Mbappe was at his brilliant best as Real Madrid showed grit to claim a 2-1 win at Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday, despite playing for an hour with 10 men after Dean Huijsen’s red card.

Mbappe and Arda Guler’s first-half goals were enough for Los Blancos to maintain their 100 percent record, with Mikel Oyarzabal pulling one back for the hosts from the penalty spot.

Xabi Alonso’s side top the table on 12 points from four games, with second-placed Athletic Bilbao facing Alaves later on, while champions Barcelona host Valencia on Sunday.

Huijsen was dismissed for pulling down Oyarzabal as he ran through on goal with Madrid leading 1-0 through Mbappe’s opener, and the Frenchman set up Guler for the second.

“The red card changed the game a bit but we weren’t afraid, we scored the second… we suffered as a team, but we go home with the three points,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.

“The start to the season has been very good, and mine too, but the season is nine months, 11 with a World Cup, so I have to play well for a lot more time (to come).”

Madrid lined up with Dani Carvajal at right-back, leaving Trent Alexander-Arnold on the bench, while Fede Valverde was rested and Dani Ceballos came in.

Guler had a goal disallowed for offside early on as Los Blancos started strongly, with Real Sociedad still looking for their first win under new coach Sergio Francisco.

Mbappe broke the deadlock after 12 minutes when he sprinted on to a loose back-pass, beating two defenders for pace before producing a clinical finish for his fourth league goal this season.

Madrid’s task grew harder when Spanish centre-back Huijsen, signed from Bournemouth this summer, was dismissed for pulling back Oyarzabal as he ran towards goal.

“For me it was a yellow card, (Militao) was close and the ball was not under control, and seeing the replay didn’t change my mind,” Alonso said.

“I asked about it, (the referee) explained it and it didn’t convince me.”

Despite their numerical disadvantage Guler doubled Madrid’s lead before the break with a neat finish after a superb run from French superstar Mbappe, who teed him up after floating inside from the left.

The hosts improved in the second half and won a penalty after a Carvajal handball, which Oyarzabal dispatched.

However the Basque side did not have enough to take anything from the game, with Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois twice denying Oyarzabal.

Alonso warned Madrid’s stars ahead of the match they would be picked on merit and after a frustrating afternoon Vinicius Junior was replaced by Fran Garcia with over 20 minutes remaining, as the coach tried to shut up shop against his former playing side.

Madrid held on through six minutes of stoppage time to secure their victory.