Manchester city 1 Brighton & Hove 0 – Foden goal hoists City into the Top four for the first time

2020-21 EPL match report: Manchester City vs. Brighton & Hove – Wednesday, 13th January 2021

Manchester city 1 Brighton & Hove 0 – Etihad stadium

In another fixture at the Etihad stadium on Wednesday night, Pep Guardiola’s Man City laboured to beat an unfancied Brighton 1-0 but rode on Phil Foden’s strike to hoist themselves to the third spot of the Premier League table.

Foden grabbed the 44th minute goal when he took a pass from the crafty Keven de Bruyne, created space for himself before unleashing his shot to the bottom corner of the net. The hosts had chances to add to their first-half goal but Riyad Mahrez shot his attempt just wide.

Ilkay Gundogan then saw his effort saved by Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez before Bernardo Silva hit the crossbar. City had an opportunity to make it 2-0 in the closing stages as Raheem Sterling sent an injury-time penalty over the bar after keeper Sanchez had fouled De Bruyne.

Less than 24 hours after rivals Manchester United had gone three points clear at the top of the Premier League table, City were given a perfect chance to reduce the deficit to the top against a Brighton side that have won just two of their 18 Premier League outings this season.

The visitors’ lowly League position of 17th could sometimes look deceiving as it did more most part of the first-half as they allowed the hosts just two shots on target till the time Foden’s goal came a minute before the interval.

City maintained their possessional dominance after the interval but Brighton still had reason to believe they could snatch something out of the game, as Davy Propper forced a fine save out of the returning Ederson from a half-cleared corner. The visiting Seagulls continued to hit on the breaks but wasted their height advantage from a flurry of late corners as City hung on to earn three well-deserved points.

City’s fourth straight Premier League win have moved them up to third and now they are just a point behind Liverpool’s 33 but with a game in hand. Brighton, meanwhile, have now lost in 8 league matches and are just two points ahead of 18th-placed Fulham, who have two games in hand.

Manchester City starting in a 4-3-3 formation: Ederson (goal), Cancelo, Stones, Dias, Zinchenko, Gundogan, Rodri, Silva, Mahrez, De Bruyne, Foden.

Subs: Jesus, Sterling.

Brighton starting in a 4-1-2-1-2 formation: Sanchez (goal), Burn, Webster, Dunk, Veltman, Propper, White, Bernardo, Mac Allister, Tau, Trossard.

Subs: Maupay, March, Khadra

Man of the match: Phil Foden

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