Nice held high-flying Saint-Etienne to a goalless draw at the Allianz Riviera as both sides had a man sent off in a bad-tempered Ligue 1 affair.

After a quiet opening with little goalmouth action, the game changed when both sides had a player dismissed for their part in an ugly incident on 38 minutes.

Nice midfielder Carlos Eduardo was sent off for stamping on the neck of Ismael Diomande after the Saint-Etienne defender had brought him down with a wild challenge. The tackle earned Diomande his second yellow card and Eduardo saw red for his reaction.

The biggest chance of the first half then came when a long ball forward sent Alassane Plea through on goal, but the retreating Florentin Pogba made a crucial intervention to clear the danger just as the Nice striker was about to pull the trigger.

Ricky van Wolfswinkel came close to breaking the deadlock midway through the second half, but he just failed to connect with a dangerous in-swinging free kick.

Substitute Kevin Monnet-Paquet nearly won the game at the death for Saint-Etienne, but his half-volley from the centre of the Nice box was turned away by Simon Pouplin.

The result means Saint-Etienne are now unbeaten in nine games and remain fourth in Ligue 1, while Nice sit 11th.