Manchester City delivered a powerful performance on Thursday, securing a decisive 4-0 victory against Brighton & Hove Albion, intensifying their pursuit for a fourth consecutive Premier League title. This significant win at Brighton comes just a day after Liverpool’s title hopes were dented by a 2-0 loss to Everton, placing City just one point behind leaders Arsenal with a game in hand.
City’s midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring with an unusual diving header in the 17th minute, a technique he humorously admitted isn’t his strongest suit.
“It doesn’t happen too much, does it? I think the only way I could reach it was jumping to the ball, and it goes in like a little lob, but it’s obviously not something I’m really good at,” De Bruyne explained to Sky Sports.
His goal set the tone for a match where City, despite missing top scorer Erling Haaland due to injury, did not seem to falter in their attacking moves.
Phil Foden, one of the shining talents under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage, was instrumental in solidifying City’s dominance. Foden’s evening included a fortuitously deflected free-kick goal followed by a clinical finish set up by teammate Bernardo Silva.
Reflecting on the match, Foden highlighted the team’s growing confidence. “With Kev’s first goal and a bit lucky with my second goal, it settled us a little bit and we grew into the game, in the first half was frightening with the way we attacked,” he said.
This victory also saw Foden join an elite group, becoming only the third player to score 50 top-flight goals before the age of 23 under Guardiola, sharing this remarkable achievement with legends such as Lionel Messi and Haaland.
Brighton, despite their mid-table security, struggled to make an impact, with their best opportunity squandered late in the game when City’s goalkeeper Ederson misplayed a clearance directly to Odeluga Offiah, who failed to capitalize.
Manchester City’s unbeaten streak now extends to 30 games across all competitions, a record highlighted by 24 wins and six draws. This run places them alongside historic campaigns from Nottingham Forest and Manchester United, showing their determination and consistency under Guardiola’s management.
Looking ahead, City faces a potentially challenging schedule as they aim to close out the season on top. Their upcoming fixtures include a mix of opponents from relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest to top-tier adversaries like Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. Each game will be crucial as they continue to chase Arsenal for the Premier League crown, hoping to make history once again.
