Foden scores twice in Man City win at Brighton

Published on: 23 October 2021

Phil Foden has four goals this season

Phil Foden scored twice as Manchester City produced a devastating first-half display to beat Brighton and move up to second in the Premier League.

Pep Guardiola's side scored three goals in the opening half hour as Brighton, who could have gone above City with a win, simply could not cope with the away side's sweeping attacks.

A brilliant hooked clearance off the line by Lewis Dunk from Gabriel Jesus' shot in the 10th minute was only a brief reprieve for the hosts as City took the lead three minutes later.

Seagulls goalkeeper Robert Sanchez dropped a routine save from a deflected shot at the feet of Bernardo Silva, who quickly found Ilkay Gundogan to score from close range.

The visitors made it 2-0 after a devastatingly quick break from a Brighton attack, charging up the pitch before Jack Grealish flicked the ball into Foden's path and the forward made no mistake for his third goal of the season.

Foden got his fourth of the campaign just moments later as Jesus' shot deflected off him after Sanchez could only stab away Grealish's low effort at the near post.

The England international almost got his hat-trick just before half time but Sanchez made a fine save to keep out a curling effort.

Brighton were better after the break and Ederson had to be alert to keep out decent efforts from Pascal Gross and Leandro Trossard.

Ederson was finally beaten in the closing stages when Enock Mwepu was brought down inside the box and Alexis Mac Allister just managed to get the ball past the City goalkeeper's dive.

Brighton came from two-goals down to beat Guardiola's side last season but there was to be no fightback this time as City wrapped up the win when an unmarked Riyad Mahrez rifled home in stoppage time as the visitors moved back to within two points of leaders Chelsea.

    Relive Saturday's Premier League actionGo to the Brighton & Hove Albion pageGo to the Manchester City page

Slick City firmly in their grooveOnly Mohamed Salah (16) and Harry Kane (15) have scored more Premier League goals in 2021 than Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan (left)

City started this season with a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham but if that produced any concerns about their ability to mount a strong title defence they have long since been eradicated.

They have not lost a Premier League game since and the last seven days have seen them at their attacking best, with 11 goals scored in their last three games and just two conceded.

Brighton had come into this game having conceded just two goals in open play in the Premier League after an excellent start to the season but City got three against them in just 31 minutes as the hosts punished almost every slight mistake the Seagulls made.

City had nine shots on target in the first half - the most by any side in the Premier League this season - and while they were far below that level after the break, the damage had already been done.

Brighton will take heart from a second-half performance that showed their early season form is not a blip, although City did come to life after Mac Allister's late goal.

City have now taken 20 points from the last 24 on offer in the Premier League and show no signs of slowing down in their pursuit of back-to-back league titles.

Player of the match

MarchSolly March

with an average of 8.45

    BrightonBrighton & Hove AlbionBrighton & Hove AlbionMan CityManchester CityManchester City

Brighton & Hove AlbionAvgSquad number20Player nameMarchAverage rating

8.45

Squad number2Player nameLampteyAverage rating

6.27

Squad number5Player nameDunkAverage rating

5.91

Squad number3Player nameCucurellaAverage rating

5.81

Squad number10Player nameMac AllisterAverage rating

5.76

Squad number14Player nameLallanaAverage rating

5.60

Squad number11Player nameTrossardAverage rating

5.60

Squad number15Player nameModerAverage rating

5.53

Squad number1Player nameSánchezAverage rating

5.49

Squad number12Player nameMwepuAverage rating

5.48

Squad number34Player nameVeltmanAverage rating

5.34

Squad number13Player nameGroßAverage rating

5.21

Squad number33Player nameBurnAverage rating

5.20

Squad number9Player nameMaupayAverage rating

5.01

Manchester CityAvgSquad number20Player nameBernardo SilvaAverage rating

7.68

Squad number47Player nameFodenAverage rating

7.64

Squad number27Player nameJoão CanceloAverage rating

7.37

Squad number9Player nameGabriel JesusAverage rating

7.37

Squad number8Player nameGündoganAverage rating

7.36

Squad number3Player nameRúben DiasAverage rating

7.33

Squad number26Player nameMahrezAverage rating

7.32

Squad number10Player nameGrealishAverage rating

7.30

Squad number2Player nameWalkerAverage rating

7.19

Squad number16Player nameRodriAverage rating

7.18

Squad number14Player nameLaporteAverage rating

7.15

Squad number31Player nameEdersonAverage rating

7.15

Squad number17Player nameDe BruyneAverage rating

6.91

Squad number25Player nameFernandinhoAverage rating

6.88

    Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsBrighton

Formation 3-5-2

1Sánchez34Veltman5Dunk33Burn20March13Groß14Lallana15Moder3Cucurella11Trossard9Maupay

    1Sánchez34Veltman5Dunk33BurnSubstituted forLampteyat 57'minutes20March13GroßSubstituted forMac Allisterat 72'minutes14LallanaBooked at 70mins15ModerBooked at 63mins3Cucurella11Trossard9MaupaySubstituted forMwepuat 58'minutes

Substitutes

    2Lamptey4Webster7Connolly8Bissouma10Mac Allister12Mwepu23Steele24Duffy30Richards

Man City

Formation 4-3-3

31Ederson2Walker3Rúben Dias14Laporte27Cancelo20Bernardo Silva16Rodri8Gündogan9Gabriel Jesus47Foden10Grealish

    31EdersonBooked at 84mins2WalkerBooked at 22mins3Rúben Dias14Laporte27CanceloBooked at 60mins20Bernardo Silva16Rodri8GündoganSubstituted forFernandinhoat 75'minutes9Gabriel JesusSubstituted forMahrezat 87'minutes47Foden10GrealishSubstituted forDe Bruyneat 77'minutes

Substitutes

    5Stones6Aké11Zinchenko13Steffen17De Bruyne25Fernandinho26Mahrez53Edozie80Palmer

Referee:Kevin FriendAttendance:31,215Match StatsHome TeamBrightonAway TeamMan CityPossessionHome48%Away52%ShotsHome10Away23Shots on TargetHome5Away13CornersHome7Away6FoulsHome10Away6Live TextPost update

Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Manchester City 4.

90'+6'Full Time

Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Manchester City 4.

90'+5'goalGoal!

Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Manchester City 4. Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Phil Foden.

90'+4'Post update

Attempt saved. João Cancelo (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.

90'+3'Post update

Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Joël Veltman.

90'+3'Post update

Attempt blocked. Phil Foden (Manchester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.

90'+1'Post update

Attempt blocked. Phil Foden (Manchester City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.

89'Post update

Attempt saved. Phil Foden (Manchester City) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.

89'Post update

Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Joël Veltman.

87'Substitution

Substitution, Manchester City. Riyad Mahrez replaces Gabriel Jesus.

86'Post update

Attempt missed. Tariq Lamptey (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the right.

84'Booking

Ederson (Manchester City) is shown the yellow card.

83'Post update

Solly March (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing.

83'Post update

Foul by Rúben Dias (Manchester City).

81'Post update

Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Manchester City 3. Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton and Hove Albion) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the bottom right corner.

79'Post update

Penalty Brighton and Hove Albion. Enock Mwepu draws a foul in the penalty area.

79'Post update

Penalty conceded by Ederson (Manchester City) after a foul in the penalty area.

77'Post update

Offside, Manchester City. Kyle Walker tries a through ball, but Gabriel Jesus is caught offside.

77'Substitution

Substitution, Manchester City. Kevin De Bruyne replaces Jack Grealish.

76'Post update

Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Joël Veltman.

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Source: bbc.com

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