St. Etienne moved away from the bottom three as goals from Blaise Matuidi, Gonzalo Ruben Bergessio and Emmanuel Riviere secured a comfortable win over high-flying Monaco. The home side had gone into the game one place above the relegation zone, but three points against fifth-placed Monaco moved them above Nice.

Monaco had the first chance of the match when Nene released Moussa Maazou and the Nigerian forced Jeremie Janot to save with both fists. St. Etienne scored for the first time in six home games when Matuidi found the bottom corner with a shot from ten yards in the 13th minute after good approach work by Dimitri Payet.

The home side nearly doubled their lead when Bergessio lobbed the ball to Bakary Sako, but his volley missed by inches. Guirane N'Daw led a St. Etienne counter-attack and fed Boubacar Sanogo, but he shot narrowly wide.

Sako swooped on a poor pass and set up Payet, who crossed for Sanogo, but his header was blocked by Stephane Ruffier. Monaco's Thomas Mangani forced Janot to save at full stretch and then Ruffier kept out a shot from Bergessio with a fantastic save.

St. Etienne went two goals ahead 15 minutes from time when Riviere fed Bergessio who side-footed home. Nene crossed to Yannick Sagbo, whose powerful header was cleared off the line by St. Etienne defender Yohan Benalouane.

Sagbo had a chance for Monaco - and Riviere one for St. Etienne - before the latter netted his side's third at the end with a fantastic shot into the top corner after running from his own penalty area.