Manchester City sink Brighton thanks to Haaland double and De Bruyne stunner | Premier League

[ad_1]

As his proud father, Alfie, watched on, Erling Haaland ended yet again as Manchester City’s hero. His double claimed victory against a spirited Brighton and, before the clocks go back, he has a staggering 17 Premier League goals.

The Norwegian’s count is 22 in all competitions. This afternoon’s plunder consisted of a sweet route-one strike and a penalty that was Manchester City’s 600th finish in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola. It was given following a lengthy VAR review of a challenge on Bernardo Silva.

Haaland’s opener was refreshing as here was a long-ball ploy that is supposedly anathema for Guardiola’s pass-and-move masters. Ederson provided a supreme assist, the flighted 50-yard clearance bouncing once in Brighton’s half before Haaland chested on, rammed aside Adam Webster, and, with Robert Sánchez stranded, had his right boot in execution mode.

The second came when the referee, Craig Pawson, overturned his initial no-penalty decision about two minutes later as play continued after the incident. Bernardo Silva went for the ball and Lewis Dunk stuck out a foot and connected with the player’s leg. Haaland coolly beat Sánchez with the penalty.

The Norwegian might have claimed his own spot-kick earlier in the first half, so a question when the teams changed ends was whether he might grab a fourth home hat-trick of this astonishing season in City colours.

Kevin De Bruyne blasts the ball past Robert Sánchez to put the game beyond Brighton. Photograph: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

At 2-0 Brighton could tell themselves they still had a sniff but City were ahead without ever going through all those well-grooved gears that obliterate so many opponents. When De Bruyne punched a hole through the Seagulls and teed up Riyad Mahrez 3-0 seemed inevitable. But the Algerian blazed straight into Sánchez and, moments later, Brighton struck. Manuel Akanji was robbed of possession by Leandro Trossard who swapped passes with Solly March and Trossard’s 20-yard finish squeezed in at Ederson’s near post, the goalkeeper at fault.

This had Guardiola turning in disgust and those in orange rallied further. Substitute Tariq Lamptey dinked the ball in and Trossard again beat Akanji but his header missed. Mahrez, De Bruyne and Haaland all probed yet City were far from their swashbuckling best. Brighton were proving a serious foe and the champions were in a contest – Trossard was a standout performer whose next act featured a chip towards Danny Welbeck, and when play moved down the other end Pascal Gross’s scythe of Rodrid illustrate an admirable edge.

Kick off your evenings with the Guardian’s take on the world of football

Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Phil Foden was brought on – always a tell of Guardiola’s concern when a rested big gun is sent for – with Mahrez the fall guy for his miss. City needed the cushion of a third. It was a struggle. A Haaland dance-and-shot claimed a corner rather than the desired outcome. But Silva wandered along the left and rolled the ball over and De Bruyne struck magisterially from 25-yards and this was game, finally, over. Brighton could be proud but City should be too: having to scrap all afternoon, they did, and emerged on top.

[ad_2]