Kylian Mbappe delivered an ominous performance for Paris Saint-Germain with their Champions League game against Real Madrid less than a month away, scoring twice against Saint-Etienne and delivering one of the assists of the season.
The French international, who has been strongly linked with a summer move to the Bernabeu, insisted earlier in the month that he has yet to make a decision on his future with his contract in Paris nearing its end.
After scoring the winner in the first leg against Madrid, he helped Mauricio Pochettino's side come from behind to beat Saint-Etienne for the second time this season after beating Les Verts at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in November.
Mbappe is PSG's top scorer this season, with his double on Saturday taking his tally for up to 24, but his assist for Danilo Pereira was the coup de grace.
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After Denis Bouanga gave Pascal Dupraz's visitors a surprise lead, Mbappe's first of the evening ensured PSG went in level at the break.
The goal owed a lot to teammate Lionel Messi, who delivered a perfectly-weighted pass from which the 23-year-old powered a shot through goalkeeper Paul Bernardoni.
Messi hasn't had the best of seasons since leaving Barcelona for the French capital, scoring just twice in Ligue 1, but his pair of assists on Saturday saw him draw level with Mbappe with 10 this season.
The Argentine was also the supplier for Mbappe's second, waltzing through the Saint-Etienne defence and playing the ball into the path of his teammate, who took his shot early and gave Bernardoni no chance.
Former Monaco man Mbappe now has 10 goals in his last 10 games, having also netted twice in a victory over his old club and a Champions League group stage triumph against Club Brugge.
He wouldn't get the chance to complete his hat-trick, making way for Mauro Icardi for the final few minutes, but there was still time for a stunning assist.
"This is the best Messi and Mbappe have clicked together," one fan tweeted after the performance, with another describing the French star as the "best in the world at the moment".
Mbappe's brace saw him draw level with Zlatan Ibrahimovic in second place on PSG's all-time goalscorer list, but the best was yet to come.
Danilo was the man on the end of the outside-of-the-boot cross, heading home a fourth goal in his last three league game, but the delivery made it almost impossible for him to miss.
The victory over Saint-Etienne took Paris Saint-Germain 16 points clear of Nice in second and Marseille in third, though the latter have a game in hand.
PSG travel to Nice next weekend, with their second leg against Real Madrid will take place coming three days later on March 9.
“If I have made a decision over my future? No,” Mbappe told Amazon Prime Video before his late winner against Carlo Ancelotti's side in the first leg.
“Playing against Real Madrid changes a lot of things. Although I have the freedom to do what I want in this moment, I am not going to speak with a rival or do that type of thing.
“I am concentrated on winning against Real Madrid. And then we will see what happens.”
