Paris Saint-Germain 5-2 Monaco: Kylian Mbappe on target as Luis Enrique’s men win Ligue 1 thriller

PSG moved four points clear at the top of Ligue 1 with a captivating 5-2 victory over third-place Monaco, who had opportunities to hold the league leaders but fell to a second-half blitz.

Luis Enrique’s side have laid down a marker to Newcastle United who travel to Paris in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, as the hosts put on a clinic in ruthlessness against a determined and talented Monaco.

Leading 2-1 thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s penalty and Goncalo Ramos’ opener, the Parisians killed the game with a deadly double inside two minutes from Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha.

Monaco were good value for their two goals and kept the game a contest throughout most of the night, but ultimately just ran out of steam having played a high-energy press from the first minute.

Takumi Minamino was their standout player and netted a deserved equaliser in the first-half, while Folarin Balogun was restored to the starting XI and grabbed a consolation goal after Vitinha hit PSG’s fourth.

Randal Kolo Muani scored PSG’s fifth in added time.

The enthralling encounter featured two of the top three in Ligue 1 heading into the weekend, so it was a shame the first three goals came from individual errors that betrayed the high quality on show.

First Philipp Kohn spilled a harmless Dembele shot to gift Ramos the opener, before Gianluigi Donnarumma repaid the favour by taking way too much time in possession before firing the ball to Minamino, who rifled his shot back to sender, and past into the net.

However, PSG ended the first-half on the front foot when Soungoutou Mangassa put in a tired challenge on Dembele and Mbappe unleashed an unstoppable penalty past Kohn.

Monaco started the second half on the front foot and Balogun, Minamino and Aleksandr Golovin all had chances to draw level once more. But when they did not take them, PSG made the visitors pay as Dembele, Vitinha and substitute Randal Kolo Muani all piled on the pain late-on.

PSG were humbled at St James’ Park earlier in the Champions League group stage, but made their first statement of intent to land some revenge when the Tynesiders arrive at the Parc des Princes on Tuesday.

PSG were not the better team for much of this game, but made their mark when it mattered. The result is harsh on Monaco, whose press caused problems early for the hosts while Minamino was a delight to watch.

Forever gliding unseen into pockets of space, Minamino took his goal very well and found space for two more shots that he’ll feel unlucky not to have converted.

What stopped him completing his hat-trick was a majestic performance by Donnarumma – notwithstanding the first goal error.

He looked like the only person capable of beating himself though, using his long limbs to frustrate Monaco on a number of occasions.

But when they ran out of puff, PSG capitalised. All three second-half goals appeared to come out of nothing, Kohn did not have a bad game but in the moments the Parisians fashioned a clear opening and pulled the trigger, they scored more often than not.

Nick Pope had better give his defenders a stern talking-to ahead of Tuesday, because otherwise Newcastle will suffer the same fate no matter how good they are with the ball.

His own effort was just outrageous, timing his run perfectly to leave the Monaco defenders in the dust before a perfect controlling touch and rocketed finish gave Kohn no chance and effectively put the game to bed for PSG.

It says a lot that given how good Vitinha’s finish was, Dembele takes the goal of the game without hesitation.

Dembele was a bundle of energy prior to that though, providing a pacey dual-threat on the other flank to Mbappe and making Monaco’s back three look ragged at times.

It was his pure hunger and determination to reach the ball that won the penalty for Mbappe to restore a lead PSG would never surrendered, and his shot led to Ramos’ goal too.

PSG: Donnarumma 7, Hakimi 7 Skriniar 6, Hernandez 7, Mukiele 6; Ugarte 8, Vitinha 7; Fabian 6, Dembele 8; Ramos 7, Mbappe 7, Subs: Kolo Muani 7, Soler 7, Barcola 6

Monaco: Kohn 7, Singo 5, Maripan 6, Magassa 6, Vanderson 6, Zakaria 7, Camara 6, Jakobs 6, Golovin 7, Minamino 8, Balogun 6, Subs: Ben Yedder 6, Akliouche 7, Diatta 5

13’ GOAL? PSG 0-1 MONACO? – Vanderson has the ball in the net after Donnarumma spills a Balogun shot, the American was called offside earlier in the build-up though and it likely won’t stand… and it doesn’t. Balogun must’ve only been offside by a few millimetres as he peeled off the PSG defensive line but it’s enough to keep things honours even. His shot from the edge of the box had caught Donnarumma at full stretch and Vanderson dribbled round the keeper on the rebound to fire home.

18’ GOAL! PSG 1-0 MONACO – That near miss seems to have shaken PSG awake and they make Monaco pay. Dembele’s low shot bounced right down Kohn’s throat but he couldn’t hold on, presenting the ball on a silve platter to Ramos who scores one of his easiest career goals.

22’ GOAL! PSG 1-1 MONACO – But Monaco are back level! Donnarumma received the ball from a defender and took way too long with Balogun closing him down at warp speed, he fires it straight to Minamino who sends it straight back past sender and into the net. GAME ON!!!

39’ GOAL! PSG 2-1 MONACO – The dam bursts. A ball swings into the Monaco area and Mangassa is just a beat too slow, waiting for it to arrive and swinging his leg at it which catches Dembele bursting through from behind to win the spot-kick. Kohn saved one last time out against Le Havre but there’s no stopping that, Mbappe sends a bullet left into the roof of the net.

71’ GOAL! PSG 3-1 MONACO – WOW! A rocket on the counter from Dembele, one to check out on the highlights!

72’ GOAL! PSG 4-1 MONACO – It’s all falling apart for Monaco, Vitinha just picks off a superb finish from outside the box to ice the game for PSG.

75’ GOAL! PSG 4-2 MONACO – It’s not over yet! Balogun finally times a run perfectly and Minamino finds him, allowing the American to finish under Donnarumma.

90+6’ – GOAL! PSG 5-2 MONACO – That’s harsh on Monaco but Maripan failed to clear and Kolo Muani makes no mistake.

• Mbappe’s now netted twice as many goals as the second-highest scorer in Ligue 1
• 1 minute and 44 seconds separated Dembele and Vitinha’s goals