Key takeaways: 

• Kylian Mbappe has now netted 156 goals for PSG.
• Kylian Mbappe netted two goals and made another as Ligue 1 heads Paris St-Germain battled back to defeat relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne.

PSG defeats Saint-Etienne: 

Lionel Messi placed Mbappe up for the leveler with an acceptable pass into the penalty area after Denis Bouanga had given the visitors a surprise early lead.

Messi likewise delivered the assist as Mbappe added a second after halftime.

Mbappe made a third for Danilo Pereira to finish the victory and dispatch PSG 16 points clear at the top.

The two goals from the 23-year-old French forward saw him join Zlatan Ibrahimovic as PSG's second highest-ever scorer with 156 goals.

Mbappe's gorgeous cross with the outside of his boot to see Pereira at the back post for a header provided PSG bypassed falling points for the second consecutive week, having been upstaged 3-1 by Nantes seven days before.

Saint-Etienne, however, made sure it was no easy rescue to succeeding ways for PSG despite being a side that began the day 15 places and 37 points behind the runaway contest leaders.

The loss leaves Saint-Etienne two spots and one point beyond the relegation spots, having played one match almost every team below them.