Paris Saint-Germain continued to put their early-season struggles behind them by beating Le Mans 3-1 to register a third successive Ligue 1 win.

Goals from substitute Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and summer signing Maghnes Akliouche secured victory for the reigning French and European champions.

Le Mans briefly threatened to spring a surprise at Parc des Princes when Louis Mafouta cancelled out Lucas Beraldo's first-half penalty.

Luis Enrique's side could have won by a bigger margin but Désiré Doué saw an added-time penalty saved by visiting goalkeeper Nicolas Kocik.

PSG picked up just two points from their opening three games before bouncing back with consecutive victories ahead of the international break.

(Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)

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Perhaps with one eye on Wednesday evening's Champions League game at Manchester City, head coach Luis Enrique made nine changes to the team which started the 2-1 success at Marseille almost three weeks ago.

Brazil midfielder Beraldo -- one of those brought in -- opened the scoring in the 19th minute by slotting into the bottom-right corner from 12 yards after Harold Voyer was penalised for handball.

PSG dominated possession but were also caused problems by a team promoted from Ligue 2 last term.

Only the last-ditch efforts of Lucas Hernández and goalkeeper Matvey Safonov prevented Mafouta levelling in the 29th minute, before Le Mans captain Samuel Yohou fired into the side netting.

The hosts almost doubled their lead three minutes before the break when Akliouche's header was touched wide by Kocik.

PSG captain Achraf Hakimi threatened early in the second period before his side were pegged back in the 54th minute.

Le Mans left-back Lucas Calodat delivered a dangerous low cross from the left for Mafouta to fire high into the net and then celebrate fully after VAR overturned an incorrect offside call.

Enrique responded with a quadruple substitution and quickly reaped the rewards as three of the men introduced were involved in restoring the lead.

After punching clear Vitinha's free-kick into the box, Kocik could only parry Fabian Ruiz's dipping drive and Kvaratskhelia was alert to finish the loose ball.

Akliouche -- a summer arrival from Monaco -- gave PSG breathing space seven minutes later by wrongfooting Kocik with a low shot into the bottom-right corner to claim his first goal for the club.

Le Mans almost halved the deficit when substitute Dame Guèye struck the top of the crossbar after twisting and turning past Hernández, while Safonov kept out a header from Yohou.

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Referee Mathieu Vernice then took centre stage during a bizarre end to the encounter.

After Vernice pointed to the spot following a shirt pull on Hernández, Doue's spot-kick was well saved by Kocik.

PSG were immediately awarded another penalty as Vitinha was adjudged to have been tugged back by Noa Boissé.

However, with Doue again poised to step up, the decision was overturned as VAR deemed Vitinha was in the 18-yard box when the initial penalty was taken.