There is the final whistle! PSG take all three points!
90' +4
There is more time added on following that challenge on Hamouma. Can les Verts salvage a point?
90' +3
Z. Ibrahimović gets yellow.
Hamouma goes down following a challenge from Ibrahimovic and he did seem to be caught on the shin by the Swede. The midfielder writhes about on the ground in agony just off the pitch, and the referee eventually shows the PSG goalscorer a yellow card.
JUST WIDE! Matuidi releases Lavezzi and the Argentine steps inside of Baysse before sending a shot narrowly wide of the far corner.
90' +1
There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this half.
90'
Rather than go for goal, Hamouma clips a cross towards the back post which Thiago Silva heads out. The Saint-Etienne man chases up the loose ball but ends up deflecting an attempted clearance out of play, resulting in a goal kick.
89'
Saint-Etienne have a free kick a great area, just outside the left-hand side of thebox, after Cabaye trips Hamouma as he slaloms towards the box. Can the hosts make this count?
88'
T. Motta gets yellow.
Motta is shown a yellow card for time wasting after PSG are awarded a free kick just inside their own half. He's not happy with that decision and he lets the referee know about it! He has to be careful or he could talk himself into another booking!
86'
Saint-Maximin gets away from his marker and breaks into the right-hand side of the box. He attempts to fizz the ball towards the far post but David Luiz flings a foot at it. He diverts it towards the upright on the near side and Sirigu is forced to dive down to stop it going behind for a corner.
85'
Y. Cabaye enters the game and replaces M. Verratti.
84'
E. Lavezzi enters the game and replaces E. Cavani.
PSG are coming under some consistent pressure now, so Blanc opts to introduce some fresh legs himself. Cavani makes way for Ezequiel Lavezzi and Verratti is replaced Yohan Cabaye.
Minute
Description
82'
L. N'Guémo enters the game and replaces F. Lemoine.
J. Bamba enters the game and replaces Y. Mollo.
Hamouma sees his corner cleared into touch by Verratti and Galtier uses the break to make two changes. Lemoine departs for N'Guemo and Mollo is withdrawn so that Jonathan Bamba can enter the fray.
80'
ASSE keep up the pressure as Hamouma breaks to the byline on the right and teases a cutback into the box. Saint-Maximin looks to run onto it but Marquinhos is on hand to clear the ball before he can connect.
79'
A cross is eventually sent in from the right following that throw in, and Motta nods it behind for a corner. The set-piece is taken short, with Saint-Maximin teeing up Lemoine for a shot from 20 yards. He completely shanks the effort wide of the near post, though!
78'
Motta needlessly cedes possession inside his own half with a dreadful pass that goes straight out of play for a throw in on the right. Les Verts still have hopes of finding an equaliser.
76'
OFF THE BAR! Pastore makes an immediate impact with an excellent pass through the defence for Cavani. The Uruguayan chips a shot over the top of Ruffier from the edge of the box but he is denied a memorable goal by the woodwork!
75'
J. Pastore enters the game and replaces Lucas Moura.
Blanc makes his first change with Lucas making way for the introduction of Pastore.
74'
Time is running out for Saint-Etienne to salvage something from this game and avoid a first home defeat in Ligue 1 in 13 games.
72'
Lucas Moura gets yellow.
The game is really opening up now! Les Verts are caught on the break with Ibrahimovic storming through the middle. He sends the ball right to Lucas, but his attempt to find Cavani at the back post is cut out by the defence. The hosts break and the Brazilian chases back to help defend, earning a yellow card for his tackle on Mollo.
70'
WHAT A CHANCE! PSG break and have the Saint-Etienne defence in a three-on-two situation. Verratti bides his time before sending the ball left to Ibrahimovic, ignoring Cavani to his right. The Swede takes a touch before releasing a shot which is blocked by Baysse, and his Italian team-mate follows up with a weak header that rolls wide.
69'
Ibrahimovic sprints into space at the top of the box and calls for a pass from Lucas. The Brazilian fizzes the ball just behind him, making it difficult to control. As the ASSE defence mop it up to remove the threat, he holds out his hands to question his team-mate.
67'
A. Saint-Maximin enters the game and replaces M. Erdinç.
The first change of the night sees Erding depart the field for Allan Saint-Maximin.
66'
Saint-Etienne continue to fight hard for the ball in a robust display, but they're still struggling to create. Mollo receives the ball on the left and yet again his delivery is poor, evading every green shirt inside the box.
64'
Great response from les Verts! Mollo is played into space at the byline, though his cross towards Erding at the back post is a little too high for the striker to connect with. It is kept in play and the next delivery is not dealt with by David Luiz. It falls kindly for the left-midfielder, but he slips as he attempts a volley and completely fumbles his effort.
62'
Before play restarts the referee goes across to have a few words with Galtier, who was clearly disappointed at the decision to award the penalty. It won't change anything, though, and PSG now have the lead!
60'
Penalty goal scored by Z. Ibrahimović for PSG!
GOOOOOAAAL!! Ibrahimovic sends the spot-kick into the corner, out of the reach of Ruffier who dove the right way! A laser was being shone in his face beforehand, so he celebrates emphatically in front of the ASSE fans.
59'
PENALTY TO PSG! The resultant corner is headed towards the back post by Thiago Silva. Motta misses it but as Clement controls it to try and run clear, the referee points to the spot stating he used his arm! It was the top of his shoulder, so it could've gone either way.
58'
GOOD SAVE! Ibrahimovic darts between Baysse and Perrin and Verratti picks him out with an incisive pass. The Swede lashes a shot towards the near post which Ruffier keeps out with his legs!
57'
Van Wolfswinkel is fed the ball with his back to goal at the top of the box and he takes a touch before attempting to tee up Erding inside the area. His pass is too weak for his strike partner, though, and PSG clear.
56'
After a slow start to the second half, PSG finally appear to be stepping up the pressure. Ruffier still remains largely untested, but they are creating more openings.
54'
Matuidi releases Cavani in behind the defence and he scuffs the ball into the back of the net, but it won't count as he was in an offside position when the pass was played.
53'
Finally, a shot on target from PSG! Cavani comes inside from the left and attempts to curl an effort inside the far corner, but he aims it too close to Ruffier, who gathers with ease.
52'
Thiago Silva opens up the game with a sublime cross-field pass to Ibrahimovic on the left wing. He nods it down for the underlapping run of Maxwell, but his attempted cross is blocked by Baysse.
50'
Les Verts earn another corner, this time out on the right, and Erding is the target again. He is unable to get on the end of it, though, and PSG clear it away. Lucas attempts to counterattack down the right but he is shepherded out of play by Tabanou.
48'
This is good early pressure from ASSE! The ball falls kindly for Van Wolfswinkel inside the box but his loose touch enables Marquinhos to steal in before Thiago Silva hooks it away. The danger isn't cleared, though, and moments later Theophile-Catherine thunders a shot narrowly off target.
47'
Van Wolfswinkel wins a corner for Saint-Etienne on the left and it is fired in towards the near post. Erding attacks the ball but can only connect with his shoulder, sending a looping effort comfortably into Sirigu's arms.
46'
We're back underway!
45' +1
PSG win a corner which Motta swings in, only to see it headed away by the first defender. He gets another opportunity but yet again the delivery is disappointing. Soon after, the half-time whistle is sounded!
45'
Motta picks up the ball on the right and lifts a cross towards the back post. Baysse can only help it on to Ibrahimovic, but his attempt to centre it once more ricochets off the defender and them himself before going out of play. A goal kick is awarded. There will be one minute of time added on at the end of this half.
43'
Half time is rapidly approaching and goal-scoring chances have been at an absolute premium so far. The home fans let out a number of jeers as Lucas goes down under pressure inside his own half, resulting a free kick to les Parisiens.
41'
ASSE are awarded a free kick just inside PSG territory on the near side following a handball by Matuidi. Theophile-Catherine swings it to the back post where Baysse attacks it, but the visitors' defence manage to deal with it.
40'
There are huge gaps between the players when les Verts have possession. Mollo, Hamouma, Van Wolfswinkel and Erding are not offering the midfielders enough angles.
38'
STAT: Ibrahimovic has scored five goals in his last two Ligue 1 matches against Saint-Etienne.
36'
ASSE look to finally be getting a footing in the game, but as they attempt to control possession for a while Tabanou miscontrols the ball on the left and inadvertently knocks it out for a throw in. Once more it is back in PSG's hands, then.
34'
Les Verts go on a rare foray forward and Tabanou is able to whip a cross in from the left. Erding and Van Wolfswinkel both attack the ball but neither divert it on target. Possession drops to Theophile-Catherine on the edge of the box, although he fails to get beyond Cavani who is back to help his team defend.
32'
Lucas dribbles towards the corner of the box and when Clement comes across to assist Tabanou he checks inside. The Brazilian flights the ball towards the back post for the run of Matuidi, but the former Saint-Etienne man arrives too late to keep it in play.
31'
The possession of Blanc's men hasn't been completely sterile, but they've yet to really test Ruffier with a legitimate effort. He was in fine form when they met in the Coupe de la Ligue earlier this month, so they may want to put him under pressure sooner rather than later.
29'
Lucas clips the free kick in from the right and Cavani flicks it on towards the back post where Erding is on hand to hack the ball to safety. It only provides a moment of relief, as PSG instantly begin building another attack.
28'
F. Tabanou gets yellow.
Matuidi battles past Tabanou on the right, getting away from his clutches and driving along the byline towards the box. Before he can get too far, though, the left-back kicks his opponents' heels, earning himself a yellow card.
26'
ASSE are remaining fairly resilient but they could possibly do with one of Van Wolfswinkel or Erding dropping back and helping out a bit more defensively.
24'
GOOD SAVE! Verratti dinks a pass over the defence for the run of Matuidi, who flicks a header goalwards from inside the box. Ruffier springs to his left and parries the effort away, moments before the flag goes up on the far side to signal for offside.
22'
We are almost midway through the first half and les Parisiens remain in total control. They work the ball down the right for Lucas to get a cross into the box, but his delivery is a little too high for Cavani to get his head on. How long can Saint-Etienne withstand this pressure?
20'
R. van Wolfswinkel gets yellow.
The first yellow card of the night is awarded to Van Wolfswinkel, who left a foot in on Motta near the halfway line. The PSG midfielder has been jeered since kick off as it was his challenge on Cohade in their previous meeting that has sidelined the midfielder.
19'
Some lovely play down the left for PSG sees Matuidi roll the ball to Cavani in a crossing position. He floats a cross towards the back post for Lucas, but ends up sending his delivery over the Brazilian's head. Marquinhos keeps it in play and finds Verratti, whose cutback is intercepted in the area.
17'
Baysse picks up a loose ball 20 yards from goal and has time to have a crack. His shot is deflected but Perrin chases it into the box, crashing into Sirigu as he attempted to challenge the keeper, who parried it away. The referee feels it was a tad overzealous and awards the visitors a free kick.
16'
Theophile-Catherine plays another decent pass down the right wing, finding Van Wolfswinkel who cuts inside and rolls the ball back to Lemoine. The Dutchman drifts into the box and is picked out by his team-mate, but David Luiz knocks his loose touch out for a corner.
15'
Ibrhaimovic is dropping very deep tonight and is operating like a playmaker. Some of his passing so far has been absolutely brilliant, and after he feeds Marquinhos on the right the defender slides a pass down the line for Lucas, who fails to stop it from going behind for a goal kick.
13'
Verratti attempts to dribble into the box after picking up the ball just inside the ASSE half, but he is eventually halted by Tabanou at the top of the area. The hosts break up the other end, with Mollo leading the charge through the centre. He is not closed down by David Luiz so opts to shoot from 25 yards, sending a wild effort far from the target.
11'
Les Parisiens continue to dominate possession, forcing les Verts to sit deep inside their own half. Verratti sends an errant pass straight to Lemoine in midfield but the hosts are unable to break effectively and the ball is soon back with their opponents.
9'
PSG are awarded a free kick near the corner out on the right, and Lucas is the man to deliver it. Marquinhos challenges for the ball inside the area but the referee deems him to foul Clement in the process, so the hosts are awarded a free kick.
8'
Ibrahimovic switches the ball out to the right with an exquisite, raking pass from deep to Marquinhos. He sprints into the box and meets the Brazilian's delivery at the back post with a clever flicked knock-down, but there is no supporting team-mate to supply a finish.
6'
Again Marquinhos pushes forward on the right, and this time he manages to get beyond Tabanou and keep the ball in play. He has his heel slightly clipped by the left-back as he attempts to pick out Cavani with a cutback, but the referee doesn't feel it warrants a penalty and allows play to continue.
5'
PSG are having plenty of possession in the early stages, though much of it is coming in their own half or around the halfway line. Marquinhos attempts to dribble past Tabanou to the byline on the right but ends up knocking the ball out of play for a throw in to the hosts.
3'
Motta lifts a pass over the top of the defence for Cavani to latch onto but Theophile-Catherine intercepts it. He dribbles forward on the right and slides a pass up the line for Erding, but Thiago Silva comes across to put it out for a throw in.
2'
Within around 20 seconds Lemoine has gone down after an awkward landing when challenging Matuidi to an aerial ball on the line. His fitness was in question before this evening and he hobbles off the pitch with the help of the medical staff. He is invited back onto the field by the referee but Galtier has sent substitutes to warm up already.
1'
We are underway!
Hello and welcome to tonight's LIVE coverage of this potentially pivotal Ligue 1 meeting between Saint-Etienne and Paris Saint-Germain at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. The fourth-placed Verts could leapfrog the reigning champions into third position with a victory tonight, but les Parisiens know they have to win in order to keep pace with league leaders Olympique Lyonnais. It's set to be a corker and I, Tom Webber, will be guiding you through all the action.
PSG have lost their last two matches away from home in Ligue 1 and can ill afford another slip-up tonight with Lyon currently seven points clear having defeated Metz 2-0 earlier today. Laurent Blanc's men won here as recently as two weeks ago when a Zlatan Ibrahimovic goal secured their passage to the Coupe de la Ligue semi-finals.
ASSE were overtaken in the table by les Parisiens last weekend following their 0-0 draw at Rennes, but victory tonight would send them back into third. They will be keen to continue their impressive form at home in Ligue 1, which has seen them lose just one of their previous 22 outings on their own patch.
SAINT-ETIENNE TEAM NEWS: Christophe Galtier has numerous absences in midfield with Renaud Cohade and Benjamin Corgnet out with injury and Ismael Diomande on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations with Cote d’Ivoire, so Landry N’Guemo has been signed on a short-term deal, though he only starts on the bench. Moustapha Sall and Kevin Monnet-Paquet are also in the treatment room, so Paul Baysse and Ricky van Wolfswinkel return to Ligue 1 action in a switch of formation.
PSG TEAM NEWS: Marquinhos starts at right-back as Gregory van der Wiel is out through injury and Serge Aurier is on Afcon duty with Cote d’Ivoire, so les Parisiens have an all-Brazilian defence. Having scored in his previous two outings, Edison Cavani is restored to the starting XI in Ligue 1 with Javier Pastore the man to make way.
PSG have won their last three matches against Saint-Etienne in all competitions, keeping a clean sheet on each occasion. They'll be hopeful of extending that run tonight in order to keep the summit of the table within their sights. However, ASSE would surely love to dent les Parisiens' title hopes, and enhance their own, with victory tonight.
Blaise Matuidi spent four seasons as a Saint-Etienne player before earning a transfer to PSG. Les Verts possess a couple of les Parisiens' former players too; Mevlut Erding and Jeremy Clement, both of whom start for the hosts tonight, were team-mates at the Parc des Princes between 2009 and 2011.
The teams are making their way out onto the pitch, so kick off will be upon us in just a few short moments.
HALF TIME - Saint-Etienne 0-0 PSG: Blanc's men have controlled the opening period but have not been able to put Ruffier under much pressure due to the hosts' resilient defensive display. The three points are still up for grabs in the second half, so be sure to stay tuned for it!
The teams are back out in the below-freezing temperature at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, with the second half starting imminently.
FULL TIME - Saint-Etienne 0-1 PSG: Les Verts put in a solid defensive display but a debateable handball decision resulted in a penalty for les Parisiens, and Ibrahimovic duly dispatched it. His goal proved decisive in their Coupe de la Ligue meeting here less than two weeks ago and the outcome is identical again today.
Blanc's men join Olympique Marseille in second position on 44 points, leaving Saint-Etienne four points adrift of the Champions League places in fourth position.
That is all we have time for this evening. Thanks for joining me, Tom Webber, and have a great night!
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