Kylian Mbappe scored two goals and created another as Ligue 1 leaders Paris St-Germain fought back to beat relegation-threatened Saint-Etienne.

Lionel Messi set Mbappe up for the equalizer with a fine pass into the box after Denis Bouanga had given the visitors a shock early lead.

Messi again provided the assist as Mbappe added a second after the break.

Mbappe then created a third for Danilo Pereira to complete the win and send PSG 16 points clear at the top.

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

Mbappe’s stunning cross with the outside of his boot to find Pereira at the back post for a header ensured PSG avoided dropping points for the second successive week, having been upstaged 3-1 by Nantes seven days earlier.

Saint-Etienne, however, made sure it was no easy return to winning ways for PSG despite being a side that started the day 15 places and 37 points behind the runaway competition leaders.

Defeat leaves Saint-Etienne two places and one point above the relegation spots, having also played one game more than every side below them.