Brighton 1-4 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola’s side run rampant on the south coast

Chelsea scored seven? Hold my beer, Manchester City seemed to say as they stormed to 3-0 amid a breathless opening half hour at the Amex Stadium.

They peppered Brighton’s goal with nine shots in that first half – the most of any Premier League side this season – and scored with three of them. It was a performance of complete control against a Brighton team who, until Saturday evening, had been Fort Knox-like.

They didn’t make it to seven in the end. The second half didn’t follow the pattern of the first, as Brighton emerged looking like a side who had received a royal rollicking from their manager. 

Phil Foden scored twice as Manchester City took a dominant victory over a Brighton side who have had a good start this term

Manchester City players celebrate at full-time after an impressive win to go two points behind league leaders Chelsea

Graham Potter’s side struggled to live with the champions in the first half but showed a much improved second-half display

Graham Potter’s boys got one goal back – a penalty scored by Alexis Mac Allister in the 81st minute – but then City capped an excellent evening by adding a fourth in stoppage time.

This took City up to second in the Premier League table, hot on the tail of Chelsea. Bernardo Silva was a pleasure to watch and, despite Phil Foden’s two goals, my man of the match. Jack Grealish was his silky self on the left. Gabriel Jesus a workhorse on the right. Together they made everything look easy in that first half, even though there’s no such thing against Potter’s organised Brighton side.

Against Club Brugge, it was Foden. Against Burnley, it was Raheem Sterling. Against Liverpool, it was Grealish. Guardiola gave his roulette wheel another spin and it landed on Foden, who would act as his false nine. Not that it matters too much, considering how fluid City are. Guardiola’s players drift and make it so difficult for opposition defenders to track them. 

Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez was annoyed at City’s first goal as he felt he was fouled in the build-up to it

Sanchez spilled the ball to Bernardo Silva who hooked it towards goal where Ilkay Gundogan bundled the ball into the net

Foden bagged his first goal of the night after a clinical counter attack by City who ran rampant in the first-half

After five minutes, Joao Cancelo was central and 20 yards out. He struck a shot destined for the bottom left corner until Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez sent it wide.

After 10 minutes, everyone thought City had scored. Everyone except Lewis Dunk, that is.

Jesus had beaten Sanchez and the ball was about to land in the empty net. With a bicycle kick on the goal-line, Dunk ensured it remained 0-0. You will not see a better clearance this campaign.

City did score in the 13th minute, however. Sanchez tried to collect a cross but under pressure from Jesus, he dropped it. Silva acrobatically hooked the ball backwards and Ilkay Gundogan tapped it in.

Referee Kevin Friend was immediately surrounded. Brighton were claiming Sanchez had been impeded and that’s why he dropped the ball. VAR Paul Tierney took a look but wasn’t buying it. The goal was good, and City led 1-0. 

Foden got a fortunate second as Gabriel Jesus’ strike hit the England international before it went into the back of the net

Brighton dominated the second-half and their pressure eventually showed when Ederson gave away a penalty

Alexis Mac Allister scored from the spot giving the Seagulls a glimmer of hope going into the final minutes of the contest

Tariq Lamptey came on in the second-half and caused City a number of problems as he caused some dangerous attacks

In the 28th minute, it was 2-0 after a clinical counter-attack. City won the ball in their own box and charged towards the other end. Silva played a perfect pass into Grealish who, instead of shooting, unselfishly squared to Foden to score.

City were having fun now. They fancied another before the break and got it. Grealish’s shot was saved by the feet of Sanchez but Jesus jumped on the loose ball, with his rebound deflecting off Foden on its way in. They could play rock, paper, scissors for who gets it at half time. In the end, it was awarded to Foden, and it was 3-0.

Now on a hat-trick, Foden wanted his third before half time. His curler towards the top left corner was collected safely by Sanchez, however. As was Grealish’s attempt at finding the top right corner a few seconds later.

City were happy enough with 3-0. Safe to say, they’d earned their half-time oranges.

In the corridors of the Amex Stadium as you walk towards the press box, there are pictures hanging on the walls. One of them is from Brighton’s victory over City last season, when they came from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

Manchester City regained composure in the final minutes of the game and Riyad Mahrez fired home a fourth goal

Foden who has been Manchester City’s star performer in recent games embraces Gundogan following the game

Pep Guardiola looked worried at times during the second-half but was happy his side could take home an impressive victory

They gave the comeback another go with an impressive second-half display, creating plenty of chances and pushing City back. Pascal Gross tested Ederson in the 55th minute and in the 60th, Brighton supporters hoped Cancelo would be dismissed for his late challenge on Lamptey. Only a yellow was shown.

Ederson’s services were required again when Leandro Trossard looked to drill one in.

In the 80th minute, Brighton had a penalty. Enock Mwepu had been felled by Ederson, who didn’t get the ball but did get the man. Mac Allister took it and, despite the City goalkeeper getting a hand to it as he dived to his left, it was 3-1.

The start of a comeback or a consolation? The latter, it turned out. City made it 4-1 in stoppage time, with substitute Riyad Mahrez receiving a pass from Foden and scoring coolly. Guardiola and his staff exchanged fist-bumps. Another evening in the company of footballing excellence.

Sportsmail’s Kieran Lynch provided live Premier League coverage of Brighton vs Manchester City, including build-up, team news and updates.