Manchester City’s Clinical Performance Leaves Brighton in the Shadows

Manchester City’s clinical display at Brighton and Hove Albion on Thursday night showcased their title credentials. Kevin De Bruyne’s stunning long-range header opened the scoring, and Phil Foden’s quick-fire double in the first half put the defending Premier League champions in complete control.

Foden’s sparkling feet and superb vision helped unlock Brighton’s defence, and his second goal was brutally clinical, nestling in the bottom corner after the Seagulls had given the ball away on the edge of their own box.

Manchester City’s margin of victory helps narrow their goal difference deficit to the leaders Arsenal, and Pep Guardiola’s side will head into the weekend just a point off top spot and with a game in hand.

This was a classy and clinical performance from Manchester City to pass one of the more challenging tests of their run-in. The result means City are now unbeaten in 18 matches in the Premier League and they are racking up the goals at a pace too, eating into the goal difference advantage that Arsenal have over them.

Player of the Match – Phil Foden (Manchester City)

Foden was instrumental in City’s first-half dominance, providing the moment of magic to unlock Brighton’s defence for the first time on the night. His sparkling feet and superb vision helped put Walker in space to cross for De Bruyne to head home, and that was the start of the flurry for City.

Foden had fortune on his side in both winning a soft free-kick and then seeing his shot take a deflection to find the back of the net, but his second goal was brutally clinical, nestling in the bottom corner in the blink of an eye after the Seagulls had given the ball away on the edge of their own box.

Is the England international the player of the season? There’s certainly a good argument for it.