Second-half goals from Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva put Manchester City back on top of the Premier League as Brighton and Hove Albion were consigned to a 3-0 defeat.
Liverpool advanced to the title with a 4-0 win over Manchester United on Tuesday, but Pep Guardiola’s side responded 24 hours later to keep their fate in their own hands in the title race as the manager secured a 250 victory in his City office.
Mahrez and Foden’s defensive strikes put the champions at the Etihad Stadium and Silva added a third as they advanced by a point to the Reds with six games to play after losing to Jurgen Klopp’s men in the FA Cup semi-final last Saturday.
City have never won three games, but regular work was resumed in their bid to win both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Moises Caicedo defended Robert Sanchez’s embarrassment as he produced a clever challenge to Mahrez after the Seagulls goalkeeper gave the City defender a chance to score early on.
The athletes were not at their best in the first half, but Brighton were again released during a frenzy trying to playback and this time Lewis Dunk saved by blocking Ilkay Gundogan.
Ruben Dias is in good form and replaces Nathan Ake during the break for the first time since March 1 and City defender was lucky enough to escape the late Alexis Mac Allister challenge just after the launch.
Kevin De Bruyne was the opening scorer with eight minutes left in the second half, jumping forward from his own moment before picking Mahrez, who benefited from a lucky turn before he finished beating Dunk and beating Sanchez.
Foden doubled City’s goal 12 minutes later, this time with Enock Mwepu pulling out a leg trying to block the midfielder out of the box but seeing the ball pass to a helpless Sanchez.
There were concerns for City when John Stones was sent off late after the injury, but Silva put the cake in the cake with his left foot in the 82nd minute as Brighton shot himself in the foot and tried to play outside. back.
