PSG 3-0 St Etienne: Neymar inspires PSG to win

Neymar had a hand in two goals as Paris Saint-Germain continued their 100 per cent start to the new Ligue 1 campaign with a comfortable 3-0 home win over St Etienne.

Edinson Cavani put PSG in front after 19 minutes from the penalty spot after being pulled down when trying to get on the end of a flick from the Brazil forward, who left Barcelona earlier this month in a world-record deal.

Captain Thiago Motta added another from close range early in the second half after Neymar's free-kick had caused havoc in the visitors' penalty area.

Cavani netted a late third with a neat backheel finish to seal a fourth-straight Ligue 1 victory as PSG moved three points clear of champions Monaco, who host Marseille on Sunday.

After 19 minutes, Neymar looked to release Cavani into the penalty area, where he was tugged back by Saidy Janko and the referee pointed to the spot.

The Uruguay frontman picked himself up before dispatching a low penalty into the bottom-left corner, which had too much power for goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier.

PSG doubled their lead six minutes into the second half, with Neymar again involved in the build-up.

The former Barcelona man whipped a deep free-kick from the right through the St Etienne penalty area, where fellow Brazilian Marquinhos chested the ball back across for Motta to stab in from close range.

It was almost 3-0 after 66 minutes when Angel di Maria sent a long-range curling free-kick goalwards, with the ball bouncing onto the foot of the left-hand post with Ruffier struggling to get across.

With two minutes left, Ruffier produced an acrobatic stop to push a 25-yard curling shot from Giovani Lo Celso over the crossbar.

The St Etienne stopper, though, was eventually beaten again when Cavani flicked the ball in following a low cross from the right by substitute Julian Draxler.