PARIS -- Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery was pleased with Friday's 3-0 win over AS Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 after a much-improved second half display.
Edinson Cavani scored twice either side of a rare Thiago Motta strike to move the French capital outfit a provisional three points clear at the top of Le Championnat.
Speaking with beIN Sports France after the final whistle, Emery declared himself content to head into the international break as Ligue 1 leaders.
"We are happy," said the Spaniard. "Our objective was to finish [ahead of the international break] top of the table.
"Up against a team that had won its first three matches, we won without conceding a goal. However, we did not master things as well as we wanted to in the first half. We lost out often in the transitions.
"Our positioning was better in the second half. The team was better overall. We were in control and certain details made the difference. There are a lot of things to analyse and to improve. It is good."
Emery acknowledged that Javier Pastore did not put in the best first-half performance in place of the suspended Marco Verratti and admitted that he pushed the Argentina international further up the pitch with a tactical change at half-time.
"Javier uncomfortable? Marco is not Javier," Emery responded when asked about Pastore's struggles. "He builds more in the first third. However, Javier is more decisive higher up the pitch.
"We spoke during the half time break to try to move him higher up and to switch to two central midfielders behind him for greater balance."
Motta, who scored PSG's second goal of the night, spoke with Canal+ after the game and felt that the hosts merited their straightforward victory.
"We deserved the final score after our second half," said the veteran Italian midfielder. "During the first, we did not control the game as we wanted to do and as we planned before the match. Saint-Etienne pressed us well, we realised that.
"Apart from that, 3-0 was a good result. The fans can go home happy.
"My 13th PSG goal? What really counts is the win."
Right-back Thomas Meunier was handed a start instead of Dani Alves, and the Belgium international took his chance by providing Cavani with his second of the evening -- PSG's third -- late on.
Speaking with beIN Sports France, Meunier felt it was not his finest display but was still happy with the result.
"At half-time, the coach tried to change things we had midfielders capable of getting in behind their defence but were not doing that too much," he said. "We switched to a triangle and that benefitted us.
"PSG are out to win everything this season. Everybody wants to achieve this goal.
"Personally? I have just come back from a difficult period because of my operation and I lacked a bit of pace. It was not the match of my life but it was good enough. I notched an assist, so I am quite satisfied."
Central defender Marquinhos assisted Motta's second-half strike with an intelligent chested pass and the Brazil international told journalists in the mixed zone that he was pleased the team have made it through their toughest Ligue 1 test so far this campaign.
"We really wanted to start the season well to give us as much confidence as possible," said Marquinhos. "It was a tough game against a team that was up there at the top with us before kick-off. It is very good to have opened up a three-point lead."