Twitter erupts as Lionel Messi shines in PSG's victory over Saint-Etienne

Lionel Messi was once again a standout player as Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) beat Saint-Etienne 3-1 in Ligue 1 on Saturday.

The Argentine started on the right side of the attack as part of a front-three that included Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. Danilo Pereira replaced the injured Marco Verratti in midfield. Meanwhile, Nuno Mendes and Gianluigi Donnarumma also returned to the squad, having not featured in the loss against Nantes last time out.

The game started terribly for PSG as Saint-Etienne took an early lead courtesy of Denis Bouanga. Pereira was dispossessed by the Gabonese forward who then calmly slotted past Donnarumma in goal. This was the worst possible start for the French giants, who were looking to bounce back from their defeat against Nantes last week.

Saint-Etienne came close to doubling their lead in the 26th minute but Donnarumma produced a stunning save to keep Ryad Boudebouz out. The save seemed to have woken PSG up, with Pochettino's side then pressing hard in search of an equalizer.

Their pressure would pay off in the 42nd minute after Lionel Messi played through Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman's strike was powerful enough to go through Paul Bernardoni's hands and into the back of the net. The goalkeeper really should have saved his effort, but PSG's goal was fully warranted based on the balance of play.

The second half started in the same vein, with Pochettino's side coming out of the blocks on fire. Lionel Messi's pass looked intended for substitute Angel Di Maria, but reached Mbappe. He was again on hand, beating the Argentine to the ball to fire past Bernardoni to make it 2-1 in the 47th minute.

Five minutes later, the Frenchman would turn provider, curling in a wonderful ball with the outside of his right foot for Pereira to power in a header. That goal ended the game as a contest as the Parisians cruised to victory.

Pochettino's side are now 16 points clear at the top of the Ligue 1 table. The French giants face second-placed Nice next weekend before traveling to Spain to take on Real Madrid in the second-leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie.

Lionel Messi continues his good form for PSG

Lionel Messi provided two assists on the night and was a constant threat down the right flank. The Argentine has now scored two goals and provided 10 assists in his 16 league games so far this season.

Pochettino will be delighted with his compatriot's form and will hope the forward can carry on in the same vein for the rest of the campaign.

With that being said, here are the best Twitter reactions to PSG's 3-1 win over Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1: