Erling Haaland scored twice and Kevin De Bruyne arrowed a 25 yard stunner in to make sure of victory for Manchester City after Leandro Trossard pulled one back for Brighton.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 3, Brighton 1
Ederson: 6. Early mistake to give the ball to Danny Welbeck who didn’t react fast enough to the gift but he recovered later to make Erling Haaland’s opening goal with a massive punt. Could have done better with Leandro Trossard’s low drive but saved from Tariq Lamptey and Trossard later.
Joao Cancelo: 6. Great skills down the left, occasional lapse.
Ruben Dias: 6. Was central to Pep Guardiola’s early tactical reshuffle.
Manuel Akanji: 6. Kept busy by Leandro Trossard.
Aymeric Laporte: 6. Had a chance to score late on. Blotted his copybook when he got himself injured after swiping wildly for the ball in injury time which allowed Brighton a chance to attack.
Kevin De Bruyne: 8. Tracked by Moises Caicedo, but still managed to loose off some balls into the danger area including one at the end of a smooth City move – denied only by Lewis Dunk. Scored a wonder goal from 25 yards to cap a fine performance.
Rodri: 6. Given plenty to think about by Brighton’s movement, blocked a late Brighton shot.
Bernardo Silva: 7. Earned a penalty with his direct running and set up a fabulous goal for Kevin De Bruyne.
Riyad Mahrez: 6. Close ball skills down the right. Wasted a great chance to make the game safe in the second half and faded.
Erling Haaland: 8. Unhappy that he didn’t get a penalty after a VAR check for a foul by Robert Sanchez but barged his way past Adam Webster to score soon afterwards and then bagged a penalty before half time. Sustained an ankle knock in the second half.
Jack Grealish: 6. Some good touches but taken off early again.
Phil Foden (on for Riyad Mahrez, 61): 6. Settled first on right wing and then on left. Did a shift defensively.
Cole Palmer (On for Jack Grealish, 77): No time to mark
Julian Alvarez (on for Erling Haaland, 80): No time to mark.
Embed from Getty ImagesGOALS – Manchester City 3, Brighton 1
Man City 1, Brighton 0: 21. Erling Haaland was first to a long punt downfield by Ederson, he outmuscled Adam Webster to keep the ball and slotted into the empty net.
Man City 2, Brighton 0: 43. Erling Haaland slammed in his 22nd goal of the season from the penalty spot after a belated VAR check following a trip by Lewis Dunk on Bernardo Silva.
Man City 2, Brighton 1: 53. Leandro Trossard halved the deficit with a low drive from the edge of the area after Solly March had cut the ball back to him.
Man City 3, Brighton 1: 75. Kevin De Bruyne restored the 2 goal advantage, rifling home from 25 yards after a square pass from Bernardo Silva left him in acres of space.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 3, Brighton 1
Man City: Ederson, Cancelo, Dias, Akanji, Laporte, De Bruyne, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Mahrez (Foden 61), Haaland (Alvarez 80), Grealish (Palmer 77)
Man City Subs not used: Ortega, Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Gomez, Lewis
Booking: Mahrez 54 (foul on Solly March)
Goals: Haaland 21, 43 pen; De Bruyne 75
Brighton: Sanchez, Veltman (Estupinan 66), Dunk, Webster, March, Mac Allister (Gilmour 87), Caicedo, Trossard, Gross (Sarmiento 87), Lallana (Lamptey 46), Welbeck (Undav 79)
Brighton Subs not used: Steele, Colwill, Enciso, van Hecke
Bookings: Caicedo 26 (foul on Erling Haaland); Gross 61 (foul on Rodri); Estupinan 74 (foul on Phil Foden)
Goal: Trossard 53
Referee: Craig Pawson