Monaco fight back against Metz to retake Ligue 1 top spot
The principality club had started the weekend at the top of the table, but wins for Paris Saint-Germain and Nice had seen them slip to third place.
Senegalese teenager Lamine Camara gave struggling Metz a surprise lead in the fourth minute.
But Adi Huetter's Monaco did not panic and almost equalised through Mohamed Camara, before Russian Golovin hammered home in the 42nd minute.
Golovin curled in a brilliant free-kick around the wall early in the second half to give the hosts the lead and they held on with ease.
Monaco moved back one point clear at the top from second-placed Nice, with reigning champions PSG a point further back in third.
Lille beat Brest 1-0 with an early goal from Yusuf Yazici which saw them climb above their opponents into fourth on goal difference.
Elsewhere, Toulouse and Reims played out a 1-1 draw, while Nantes saw off Montpellier 2-0.
On Saturday, PSG cruised past Strasbourg 3-0 and Nice edged out 10-man rivals Marseille 1-0.