Phil Foden double helps Man City to three points against Brighton
Brighton vs Manchester City, as it happened
by Jim White, Luke Slater, live updates · The TelegraphManchester City cruise on, smooth, efficient and unbreeched. But they will rarely face an examination like the one they experienced in the second half at the Amex. Graham Potter’s Brighton tested everything about them, their game management, their resilience, their defensive capabilities. And their manager Pep Guardiola will have been delighted they passed the test: few teams in the Premier League could have emerged from this with three points.
It was as well City had seized the initiative with a first half performance of blistering invention. Actually, they did more than seize the initiative: they gave demonstration that they are currently among the top sides in Europe. Actually, probably in the top one.
Guardiola had tasted rare defeat here in the final game of last season, and sent out his team with instruction to secure victory early. Their first incursion came after seven minutes. Jack Grealish, his every touch sound tracked by boos, dribbled forward, then laid the ball back to Joao Cancelo, whose firm shot was saved well by Robert Sanchez. Cancelo was clearly keen on redemption: the last time he came to the Amex with City he was sent off. Actually the entire City team appeared determined to seek vengeance for last season, attacking at will from the start.
As City attacked, it was a bit of defending that first got the home supporters off their feet. A superb City breakaway saw Gabriel Jesus bearing in from the right of the penalty area. Sanchez went out to block his sight of goal, but the Brazilian, even as he tumbled to the turf, screwed a shot beyond him which appeared destined for the back of the net. Somehow, like an Olympic gymnast, Lewis Dunk managed to contort his body to scoop the ball away, as Phil Foden lurked.
Dunk wasn’t there, however, a minute later when Jesus and Bernardo Silva went up for a high ball with Sanchez. The keeper reached it first, but dropped the ball. Silva played it back and Ilkay Gundogan poked it into an empty net. The Brighton players were furious, arguing, with justification, that their man had been impeded. Kevin Friend consulted the Video Assistant Referee (Var), but the goal stood.
The visitors were wearing change shirts which referred to them as Man City on the front, thus causing several old school supporters to grind their teeth in annoyance. But their passing would have had even the most diehard traditionalist purring in delight. Brighton were now under sustained pressure, Sanchez slide tackling Grealish at the last as he bore down on goal.
True, Adam Lallana was doing his best to match City for midfield invention, snapping into challenges and constantly looking for the decisive pass. The trouble was, City are as sound defensively as they are as an attacking force. And when Brighton approached their area, Marc Cucurella and Leandro Trossard exchanging quick passes, Ruben Dias intervened. His pass out of defence was picked up by Silva on the halfway line, who played an exquisite ball in behind the Brighton centre backs to Grealish, tearing forward. He took a couple of touches before squaring to Foden who got ahead of Dan Burn to score. It was textbook counter attack: electric heeled, ruthless, magnificent.
And City were three up before Potter could work out how to respond. Jesus danced past a couple of tackles and laid the ball to Grealish. His shot was parried by Sanchez, but it bounced out to Jesus who, despite the keeper’s despairing flap, clinically finished it off, via a deflection from Foden. Just half an hour was gone. And the visiting fans were already dusting down a nostalgic rerun of their Poznan dance of triumph.
Brighton, though, are now too good a side to go down without a scrap. And throughout the second half they played with real grit. Lallana kept scrabbling, Pascal Gross drew a good save from Ederson, Leandro Trossard an even better one. Potter sent on Tariq Lamptey and Enok Mwepu to go at the visitors. Almost as soon as Lamptey arrived he was upended by Cancelo, who once more saw a card on the south coast.
And how Brighton tried. With perhaps the most progressive pair of full backs in the Premier League now in harness, they constantly pushed down the flanks, their refusal to cow to City genius a mark of their calibre.
However much Potter’s side pressed and fizzed, however much Lamptey danced and Cucurella overlapped, City appeared too shrewd to throw away dominance as they had last season. They slowed the game down, they fell heavily under routine challenges, they passed sideways. You knew they were really under the cosh when Guardiola sent on Fernandinho and Kevin De Bruyne.
But then Mwepu was tripped in the box Ederson diving at his feet and a penalty was awarded after a lengthy Var investigation. The substitute Alexis Mac Allister scored it, the Amex was on its feet, electrified by the hint of a glorious turnaround. It wasn't to be. City are just too shrewd, the substitute Riyad Mahrez's last minute fourth a mark of their excellence. But given the form displayed by Brighton, it is unlikely many other visitors here will be as successful.
Updated Premier League table: Top 8
FULL TIME: Brighton 1 Man City 4
Well, Brighton were thoroughly outclassed for 45 minutes and went in 3-0 up. Brighton came back well in the second half getting a penalty and a goal back but another sloppy bit of play helped City to their fourth at the very death.
City go to second, just two points off Chelsea.
GOAAAAAAL! Brighton 1 Man City 4
It's another error... Moden tries to send the ball backwards in the air towards Lewis Dunk... it's overhit and Dunk can only glance it on to Foden lurking there. Foden plays a 1-2 with Fernandinho and then finds Mahrez in tons of space in the box who slots it away firmly with his left foot.
90+3 mins - Brighton 1 Man City 3
Foden has another chance for his third foal but Veltman blocks the shot from the left of the box. City corner, which is taken short by De Bruyne and Foden. City just slide it around the midfield sideways. Why not?
90 mins - Brighton 1 Man City 3
Five minutes of added time.
88 mins - Brighton 1 Man City 3
Having just said that, this is now City's best period in the last half-hour. They get a corner, De Bruyne finds Foden on the left, in the box. Foden shoots low with his left at the near post but Sanchez saves it this time, denying him his hat-trick. The ball then goes loose before it's booted back up field.
86 mins - Brighton 1 Man City 3
Lamptey fires wide from close distance, but with a ton of City players around him. Gabriel Jesus replaced by Riyadh Mahrez for City in the break in play. City have done almost nothing this half but defend. That's not a criticism, they were 3-0 up.
84 mins - Brighton 1 Man City 3
Ederson booked for time wasting... they're 3-1 up...
83 mins - Brighton 1 Man City 3
Ruben Dias barges Solly March to the ground and Kevin Friend says it's a foul. On the left, just in front of the touchline and in the final third. Mac Allister whips it in... but it's too hard and goes straight out for a goal kick without bouncing.
GOAAAAAAL! Brighton 1 Man City 3
Alexis Mac Allister will be the man to take. Only just on the pitch. He does the business to get one back for Brighton! Ederson gets one or two gloves to the ball at full stretch to his left but it's hit hard enough to go in.
Game on? Naaaah. But Brighton deserved that.
PENALTY TO BRIGHTON!
Trossard puts Mwepu through on the left of the box. The ball is going out and Ederson slides in and it looks like he takes the Brighton player out... he goes down anyway and there is some contact.
They will, of course check the decision and the offside. Looks good, though.
77 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Lamptey has been a ball of positive energy on the right since coming on. Intent, pace and skill on the right flank. He hasn't played for a month, since the 2-0 win against Swansea in the League Cup.
Jack Grealish off and Kevin De Bruyne on for the visitors.
74 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Solly March has a shot from distance but it is fairly ugly. Wide and high. Misdirected.
The opening goalscorer, Ilkay Gundogan, comes off and Fernandinho is on in his stead.
72 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
A very different game in the second half, now we're 25 minutes in. A good showing from Brighton. City haven't too much of the ball and the chances have been slim to none.
March does tremendously well to win a corner, sliding in. It's another change for Brighton. Pascal Gross is off and on comes Alexis Mac Allister.
70 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Lallana is booked for a foul on Ilkay Gundogan. The Brighton fans express their dismay at the referee. Looked fair to me.
67 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Is it all Brighton at the moment? It is all Brighton at the moment. Do they deserve a goal? Probably.
64 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Moder makes a jinking run into the box from the right, straight through Ruben Dias and Rodri. His shot is deflected for another corner. Decent stuff.
Lamptey's turn to impress on the right, making a mug of Grealish on the byline. Another Cucurella cross and another Brighton corner. They look likely at the moment...
62 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Moder picks up a booking for a late challenge.
62 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Brighton really playing quite well now. Cucurella again involved down the left. Eventually Trossard has a shot from the left of the box after a little short ball from Moder. His shot is hit hard and well but along the ground. Ederson saves and it's a Brighton corner. Brighton probably the better side this half. Shame it's 3-0 already.
60 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
The second booking of the game and it's another City player. A loose ball in the midfield is chased by both Cancelo and Lamptey but the City player knocks the Brighton one to the ground. Not horrific, just mistimed and at pace which always makes it look worse. Didn't look very much fun for Lamptey.
58 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
A couple of substitutions for Brighton, then.
Dan Burn off and Tariq Lamptey on. Neal Maupay off and Enock Mwepu on.
57 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Possibly Brighton's best 5-10 minute period here. Solly March has a run down the left after some quick one-touch passing and sends a dangerous shot in but no Brighton forward is in the right spot.
Trossard has a shot from distance. Well struck but again at Ederson, who saves comfortably.
54 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Looks like the first couple of changes for Brighton. Tariq Lamptey looks a dead cert to get on shortly.
Brighton break on the left with Cucurella, who finds Trossard... and Jesus makes the interception to stop the attack. It comes again through the same man on the left, Veltman in a bit of space...
Trossard sends in a fine cross to Maupay, who controls the ball down well, turns and shoots. Good effort but it's straight at Ederson.
50 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Foden slides in Jesus about 15 yards out but Cucurella is there to make a crucial tackle, just before he can get the shot away. May have been a possible shout for a foul there, though, with arms on shoulders but no penalty.
48 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
No changes for either team here, by the way. Foden has a snap-turn shot from about 16 yards out but it's not a great connection and goes well wide.
46 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
It nearly wasn't 0-0 in the second half for very long. Cancelo drags his 20-yard shot down and it is deflected just past the far post.
KICK OFF
Second half under way with Brighton doing the honours. What is a good result from them here? 0-0 in this half wouldn't be too bad.
HALF TIME: Brighton 0 Man City 3
Comprehensively outplayed, unfortunately for Brighton. City are in form at the moment and it really showed in that first half.
45+2 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Grealish makes himself some space on the edge of the box and tries for the top corner with a right-footed curler. Sanchez catches this one, too. Two saves within a minute.
45+1 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Foden, two goals up already, has another shot. It's well hit but not that well directed. A comfortable save for Sanchez. Will it make him feel any better about that earlier howler? I doubt it...
44 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
The Seagulls are all at sea. A frantic passage of play has Burn on the floor trying to head the ball. Crowd get a bit noisy about it all.
42 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
March takes the corner and City fight to claim the loose ball to launch another attack. The danger is everywhere for Brighton at the moment. Lallana reclaims the ball to stave off another period of pressure.
Can Brighton put City under some of their own? Yes. March has a shot from about 20 yards out, it's well struck. Ederson saves but doesn't manage to catch it first time. Eventually gets there, though.
41 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Something finally goes Brighton's way. It's only a throw in, mind you. In a relatively dangerous position. It results in a corner, after Cucurella (by far Brighton's best player this half) has his shot deflected behind.
38 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
12 shots and seven of them on target from City so far this half. It has been a demolition.
37 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Not sure where Brighton go from here? It's a classic case of damage limitation. 3-0 down after a little over 30 minutes. Does not bode well.
35 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 3
Brighton haven't been completely useless and again they find a way through with Cucurella on the right. The ball gets trapped under his feet a bit and his cross is headed out for a corner, which Brighton fail to take advantage of.
GOAAAAAAAAL! Brighton 0 Man City 3
It's three... Jesus this time. Or Foden, actually. A couple of errors from Brighton here that led to the goal.
Dunk gives the ball away on the half-way line which launches another City attack.
Grealish has a low shot that is saved but it comes back to Jesus whose shot is deflected off Phil Foden and past Sanchez. The Brighton keeper stood there, got a hand to it but it went tamely into the back of the net. He wasn't happy.
GOAAAAAAAAAL! Brighton 0 Man City 2
Trossard releases Cucurella on the left, there is a couple of tight, nice passes around the box but City's defensive shape is there... and they break quickly with the ball.
Silva dribbles it to the half-way line then slides in a rampaging Grealish on the left who in turn sends a low pass across the six-yard box towards Phil Foden. It ends up on the back of the net. Last touch Foden? Could be, not sure, either way it is definitely 2-0 to City.
25 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 1
Brighton have had a few openings but, really, this is going to be a big ask from here. Still, it's only 1-0 and they aren't exactly being played off the park. Need to be careful, though, and not give away cheap possession as they just did, allowing City another attack which ends without coming to anything like a chance.
22 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 1
Walker is booked for a late challenge on Cucurella in the middle of the park. Probably fair. He let out quite a cry as Walker trod on his boot.
19 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 1
A bit brighter from Brighton since they went down but they are leaving themselves exposed at the back. Another Jack Grealish-led triple attack is fended off with Sanchez having to make a save from a low shot before the ball is cleared.
17 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 1
First chance for Brighton and it was a good one. Gross sends in a cross into the box. Maupay and Trossard get in the way of one another. Trossard eventually finds the space but his shot is sliced well high and wide.
That's followed up with a half-decent header from Moder. A hard one to get much from, though. And he did well to get the pace on it that he did.
15 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 1
There was a fair amount of protest from Sanchez, claiming a foul. Var looked at it and said no foul. It was never in doubt but the protest may have come more from embarrassment than genuine belief...
GOAAAAAAAL! Brighton 0 Man City 1
Didn't take long for them to make up for it, though! Sanchez challenges Jesus in the air after a block shot goes skywards but makes a completed hash of it and spills the ball.
The ball is then hooked by Bernardo Silva to Ilkay Gundogan who is about two yards out and, well, it's really a very easy goal. Keeper made a complete hash of that one, I'm afraid. Dunk's clearance was incredible but that was a gift.
10 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 0
First big chance for City! Jesus is released in the right of the box, his low shot is heading to goal, deflected from the legs of Sanchez but - somehow - Lewis Dunk is there to slide in and keep it out of the back of the net in spectacular fashion...
9 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 0
Brighton looking keen in the opening 10 minutes or so. They haven't had much of the ball, but it's not like City have really done much either.
7 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 0
A corner for City, fired in low and then it comes again but Sanchez claims quite comfortably. Flicked on initially and it looked dangerous, but Brighton escape without any damage.
5 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 0
Foden wins a free kick as Dunk nudges him in the back after a tussle on the touchline. About 40 yards from goal, maybe a few more.
3 mins - Brighton 0 Man City 0
Brighton starting with a fair amount of intensity. They nearly get an opening but City manage to snuff out the danger before any shot gets away.
KICK OFF!
Brighton in blue and white stripes, City in a darker blue. An awful kit, really.
Nearly time for kick off...
Predictions? 2-0 City, for me.
The Premier League top six, as it stands
City wearing shirts in training in support of a fan who was attacked after their Champions League game in the week
Read more on what happened here, from Luke Edwards.
Adam Lallana speaks before the game
Pep Guardiola knows how to wear his face mask
Potter, less so....
You can, of course, question the wisdom of wearing it outdoors anyway. But if you are going to have it on...
The form book: Last six games
Man City: W 6-1 vs Wycombe Wanderers (H, EFL Cup), W 1-0 vs Chelsea (A, PL), L 2-0 vs PSG (A, Champions League), D 2-2 vs Liverpool (A, PL) W 2-0 vs Burnley (H, PL), W 5-1 vs Club Brugge (A, CL)
Brighton: L 1-0 vs Brentford (A, PL), W 2-1 vs Leicester (H, PL), W 2-0 vs Swansea (A, EFL Cup), D 1-1 vs Crystal Palace (A, PL) D 0-0 vs Brighton (H, PL), D 0-0 vs Norwich (A, PL)
Brighton's team
XI: Sanches, Veltman, Dunk, Burn, Cucurella, Gross, Moder, Lallana, March, Trossard, Maupay
Subs: Lamptey, Webster, Connolly, Bissouma, Mac Allister, Mwepu, Steele, Duffy, Richards
Manchester City's starting XI
XI:Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Bernardo, Jesus, Foden, Grealish
Subs: Steffen, Stones, Ake, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Edozie, Palmer
Pep Guardiola not thinking about revenge
Pep Guardiola insists there will no thoughts of revenge in his head when he takes his Manchester City to Brighton on Saturday.
City blew a 2-0 lead to be beaten 3-2 at the Amex last season after having Joao Cancelo sent off just 10 minutes into the match, in which Guardiola confronted Brighton boss Graham Potter who subsequently apologised for some over-zealous celebrations of his side's opening goal.
The defeat was a setback for City in the final weeks of their build-up to the Champions League final, but Guardiola said it had not been part of his thinking this week.
"Absolutely not," he said when asked if it was on his mind.
Potter said this week he was sorry for the actions which so upset Guardiola on the south coast and that he hoped to get "a cuddle" from the City boss this time around.
"We'll shake hands before and after the game," Guardiola said. "Like I do with all the managers before and after the game."
The sight of Guardiola venting his frustration at Potter came only months after he had called the Brighton boss the best English manager in the country following City's 1-0 win over Brighton at the Etihad Stadium.
That verdict is being borne out by Brighton's superb start to the season - they started the day fourth in the Premier League, only two points behind Guardiola's defending champions.
"I know the game we are going to face tomorrow and exactly the game we are going to face tomorrow," Guardiola said. "The players know it as well."
City fans may well be celebrating before kick-off as they head to the south coast, with Saturday marking the 10th anniversary of their famous 6-1 derby victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The victory over Sir Alex Ferguson's side laid down another significant marker in their evolution since the Abu Dhabi-backed takeover, and proved a critical moment in the first Premier League title which was won under Roberto Mancini.
Guardiola was still in charge of Barcelona at the time, but said it was a result which made him sit up and take notice.
"Definitely I remember it," he said. "I didn't watch it live, I knew the result and saw the highlights. When a team like City win like that at Old Trafford it's a surprise, but it showed how good the team from Mancini has done and how they were, what excellent players they had."
PA Sport