Manchester City vs Brighton - LIVE!

Erling Haaland struck twice and Kevin de Bruyne scored a stunning second-half goal as Manchester City earned a 3-1 home win over Brighton in the Premier League. Haaland scored for the seventh consecutive home game in all competitions to give City the lead midway through the first half and then fired in a penalty in the 43rd minute after a VAR review ruled that visiting captain Lewis Dunk had fouled Bernardo Silva.

Brighton deservedly pulled back a goal early in the second half when Leandro Trossard rifled a shot under diving City goalkeeper Ederson from the edge of the area. Trossard nearly found an equaliser when he tore down the left wing and towards goal but this time Ederson got the better of him and blocked the shot to force a corner.

City captain De Bruyne then killed off the visitors’ hopes of snatching a point by curling a shot from outside the area high into the net in the 75th minute.

Man City vs Brighton latest news

• GOAL! De Bruyne restores two-goal advantage

• GOAL! Trossard halves deficit

• GOAL! Haaland nets second from penalty spot

• GOAL! Haaland too strong for Sanchez and Webster

Manchester City FC 3 - 1 Brighton & Hove Albion FC

FT: Man City 3-1 Brighton

16:54 , Matt Verri

Job done for Man City, even if there were some nervy second-half moments.

Erling Haaland with another couple of goals, taking his tally to 22 in all competitions so far this season. It’s October.

Kevin De Bruyne sealed the win, putting an end to the Brighton charge after Leandro Trossard had halved the deficit.

16:50 , Matt Verri

90 mins: Four minutes added on at the Etihad.

City cruising to victory now - they’ll be moving to within a point of Arsenal at the top of the table.

16:47 , Matt Verri

87 mins: Trossard with a deep cross into the City box, can Brighton set up a grandstand finish?

No. Over all the Brighton players, all the City defenders, and out for a goal-kick. Ederson not in a rush to retrieve the ball, it’s fair to say.

16:44 , Matt Verri

85 mins: City fans getting frustrated, as Brighton win a couple of cheap free-kicks.

Still a fair bit of tension in the ground, despite City’s two-goal advantage. Home supporters not convinced the job is done.

16:42 , Matt Verri

82 mins: There will be no hat-trick for Haaland, Alvarez on to replace him.

Brighton with a corner, it’s headed out and City can break. They win a corner of their own. Foden and De Bruyne take it short, eventually the Belgian crosses it in at the back post but too much on it.

16:38 , Matt Verri

78 mins: Grealish off, Palmer on as Guardiola turns to his bench.

Welbeck off for Brighton - plenty of boos from the Etihad who have not forgotten who he used to play for.

GOAL! Man City 3-1 Brighton | Kevin De Bruyne 75'

16:35 , Matt Verri

BIG GOAL FOR CITY!

That makes things a lot more comfortable for the hosts - huge blow for Brighton.

Bernardo brings the ball forward, finds De Bruyne and from 25 yards out it’s a stunning finish into the top corner!

16:33 , Matt Verri

73 mins: Another drive from Trossard, all the way into the City box but this time Ederson gets down at his near post to save. Brighton corner.

Haaland is there to clear it, these are really nervy moments for City.

16:30 , Matt Verri

70 mins: Brighton struggling to recreate the pressure they were putting on City earlier in the half.

It’s relatively comfortable for the hosts at the moment, though they’re not creating anything themselves.

Welbeck brings it forward for the Seagulls, out on the left. Patient build-up from Brighton, Lamptey with the header and Ederson can save.

Brighton change

16:27 , Matt Verri

16:24 , Matt Verri

65 mins: City have a bit more control of things now after that 15-minute spell at the start of the half.

Veltman down off the ball now, hosts happy for play to be stopped and halt Brighton’s momentum.

16:21 , Matt Verri

62 mins: Rodri rolling around on the floor after a sliding challenge, ten seconds later the referee blows the whistle and shows a yellow card to Gross. Bit strange.

Foden is on for City, replacing Mahrez. He should have put this match to bed just before Brighton scored.

16:20 , Matt Verri

60 mins: Welbeck plays the ball out to Trossard, he whips it in but Laporte is there to volley it away to safety.

Guardiola has seen enough of this - Foden will be coming on very shortly.

16:17 , Matt Verri

57 mins: City can’t get out!

Brighton completely on top, Caicedo breaks free on the left but his cross into the box is blocked.

Hosts have been so sloppy on the ball, Guardiola will be furious. Lamptey whips a brilliant cross in, goes behind. Brighton convinced it should be a corner - goal-kick given.

16:14 , Matt Verri

55 mins: All Brighton now, Mahrez shown a yellow card as he trips Trossard. Brilliant from the Seagulls since the restart.

Great position out on the left wing to whip something into the box. Swung in at the near post, poor ball and City survive that scare.

GOAL! Man City 2-1 Brighton | Leandro Trossard 53’

16:13 , Matt Verri

BRIGHTON GET ONE BACK!

City flying forward with numbers, De Bruyne finds Mahrez and it’s a big chance but Sanchez saves.

Brighton go straight down the other end, Trossard from the edge of the area and he hammers a strike past Ederson at the near post.

16:11 , Matt Verri

52 mins: Lamptey and Haaland challenge for the ball - to call that a mismatch would be an understatement.

The City man just shoves Lamptey, free-kick Brighton. Decent start to the half from the visitors.

16:10 , Matt Verri

50 mins: Another loose pass from Ederson - not been quite as assured on the ball today. Then again, he assisted the first goal so he’s not doing too bad.

Brighton with a free-kick in the City half, whipped into the box but it’s over everyone and out of play.

16:06 , Matt Verri

47 mins: Lamptey is on for Lallana at the break, so a change of shape from Brighton.

March gets forward on the opposite flank, with space on the left wing. Decent cross into the box but it’s too close to Ederson, who can comfortably claim.

Back underway!

16:05 , Matt Verri

Up and running again at the Etihad.

16:01 , Matt Verri

Haaland has now played four and a half Premier League matches at the Etihad.

He’s scored 12 times. Yes, 12. With a trip to Dortmund to come in midweek, will Guardiola take him off and give him a bit of a rest?

We’ll soon find out.

Not fair really...

15:56 , Matt Verri

HT: Man City 2-0 Brighton

15:49 , Matt Verri

Man City winning. Haaland scoring. Back to normal.

One from the penalty spot, another after he just knocked Webster out of his way after going round Sanchez. Haaland just too good for the Brighton defence so far.

15:45 , Matt Verri

45 mins: So, Haaland on a hat-trick before half-time.

That’s the 600th City have scored in the Premier League under Guardiola - sure you were all keeping count.

GOAL! Man City 2-0 Brighton | Erling Haaland 43'

15:43 , Matt Verri

Haaland with the ball, he’ll take this penalty.

And he makes no mistake! Expect anything different?

That’s two this afternoon, 17 in the league this season. Easy work.

15:41 , Matt Verri

41 mins: Wow. An absolute age later, the referee stops play and he’s over to look at the monitor.

Brighton had the ball for ever at the back, before VAR finally told the referee to watch the replays.

Penalty coming up then, it would seem...

15:40 , Matt Verri

40 mins: A third penalty appeal from City - a third rejection from the referee.

Bernardo is the man to go down this time, ball lobbed into the box and he knocks it past Dunk. Thinks he’s been tripped up, again minimal contact.

Maybe the best of the three shouts, but VAR still not interested.

15:38 , Matt Verri

38 mins: Dangerous moment for City, as Brighton again work it nicely on the edge of the box.

Gross gets in on the left, Welbeck completely free in the middle as the ball comes back to him but Bernardo reads it brilliantly to get back and clear.

15:36 , Matt Verri

35 mins: Haaland flops over on the halfway line, wins the free-kick. Very soft.

Came after a nice move from Brighton, got numbers forward in the attack. Trossard cut inside and then outside about five times before eventually getting the shot away - tame and blocked.

15:33 , Matt Verri

33 mins: Mahrez nutmegs Lallana, slides the ball through to Bernardo. This is a lovely move from City.

Cut back to De Bruyne, wide to Grealish, back to De Bruyne and his shot is blocked. Too many passes there, Grealish had space for the shot.

Behind for a corner, it comes to nothing though.

15:31 , Matt Verri

31 mins: Penalty for City?

Again the referee has no interest though. Haaland flicks the ball up for Grealish, he’s gone down holding his ankle.

He was lining up the volley, missed it and claims he’s been caught. Don’t think so.

15:30 , Matt Verri

30 mins: Better from Brighton, probably their longest spell of sustained possession in the match. They look confident when they’re on the ball in the City half.

As has been the problem recently though, turning the nice build-up into big chances is a problem.

Ball played forward, Gross not far away from getting on the end of it in the box. Rolls behind harmlessly though.

15:27 , Matt Verri

27 mins: Brighton starting to look a bit ragged here.

Haaland turns Caicedo, he has space to drive into and runners either side... that is until Caicedo just trips him up. As clear a yellow card as you’ll see.

Mahrez clips the free-kick in, Haaland lurking but Welbeck clears.

15:25 , Matt Verri

25 mins: Brighton very nearly caught out playing in their own box.

Dunk has nowhere to go, De Bruyne flies in to shut the space and charges the ball down - out for a goal-kick.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Brighton - Erling Haaland 22'

15:22 , Matt Verri

HE’S SCORED NOW THOUGH!

After a one-match goal drought, he’s back on the scoresheet. Ederson hammers a long ball forward, Haaland gets there before Sanchez and the Brighton goalkeeper is out of position completely.

Haaland and Webster collide, City man wins the battle and rolls it into the empty net.

15:21 , Matt Verri

20 mins: De Bruyne gets to the byline, low cross in at the near post.

Haaland gets there first, goes round Sanchez and goes down in the box. Penalty? Referee says no.

Striker got the first touch, it’s a heavy one though that took it out of play. VAR agrees with the referee.

15:18 , Matt Verri

18 mins: Grealish drives forward, plays it wide to Cancelo who puts it into the box. Dunk there to clear it.

Brighton starting to be pinned back a bit, City dominating possession more and more.

15:16 , Matt Verri

16 mins: De Bruyne with space to put a left-footed ball into the box, far too much on it for Haaland. Not a million miles away from catching Sanchez out and dropping in at the far post.

Brighton will be happy with this start - City haven’t created anything.

15:14 , Matt Verri

14 mins: First corner of the match for City, Bernardo’s cross is blocked behind.

Clipped into the box, doesn’t beat the first man and it’s cleared away. Bernardo gets another chance - it’ll be another corner.

Think De Bruyne might be taking over responsibility now.

15:12 , Matt Verri

11 mins: Ederson with a poor kick out, falls for Welbeck and he’s feeling very ambitious.

Goes for the lob from about 40 yards out, with the City goalkeeper completely out of position. Slips as he does so though, can’t find the target.

15:09 , Matt Verri

9 mins: Break in play, Welbeck is down off the ball holding his face.

Looks like it came from that earlier attack, when the ball came into the City boss. Flailing arm from Dias, Welbeck might have got a finger in the eye.

Guardiola uses the chance to call Bernardo and Haaland over to the touchline for a chat. Very casual look from the City boss - hoodie and jeans.

15:08 , Matt Verri

7 mins: Lallana drives forward for Brighton, plays it through to Trossard.

He clips a ball into the box, Dias heads it away and now City can break with Grealish. He runs with it, Etihad crowd responds.

De Bruyne unable to pick out either Haaland or Mahrez - perfectly in between the two of them.

15:05 , Matt Verri

5 mins: Relatively low-key start at the Etihad. Both sides are comfortable with the ball, Seagulls in particular with little interest in forcing things when they win possession.

They get caught out here though, City win it back. De Bruyne can’t quite find Mahrez.

15:02 , Matt Verri

2 mins: No surprise that Man City are dominating possession in the opening stages.

Brighton pressing up pretty high already, looks like they’re going to try and be brave. Leaving themselves a bit exposed at the back, which will delight Haaland.

KICK-OFF!

15:00 , Matt Verri

We are up and running in Manchester.

Here we go...

14:56 , Matt Verri

Players are in the tunnel at the Etihad, they’ll shortly be out onto the pitch.

Brighton looking for their first win under De Zerbi - wouldn’t be a bad place to get it.

Haaland to return to scoresheet?

14:47 , Matt Verri

Erling Haaland failed to score at Anfield last week, just the second time that has happened in the Premier League this season.

He’s already got 15 goals in the league, to go with his five in the Champions League.

Not a particularly brave prediction to suggest there’s a strong chance he’ll be on the scoresheet this afternoon...

Goals needed for Brighton

14:40 , Matt Verri

Three games without a goal for Brighton, 54 shots during that run.

Have to find a way of being more clinical in front of goal, it’s really costing them. This is certainly not the ground to be in a wasteful mood either.

Not long to go!

14:33 , Matt Verri

Elsewhere in the Premier League...

14:26 , Matt Verri

Liverpool beat Manchester City last week... and now they’ve lost to bottom of the table Nottingham Forest!

A 1-0 defeat for Jurgen Klopp’s side at the City Ground, bringing a swift half to any momentum they thought they were building.

Victory for Brighton this afternoon would take them above Liverpool in the table.

“It’s always difficult here"

14:18 , Matt Verri

Grealish starts for City

14:10 , Matt Verri

It’s Mahrez and Grealish given the nod by Guardiola in wide areas, either side of the main man Haaland. That means Foden has to settle for a place among the substitutes.

Akanji starts at right-back with Cancelo on the opposite flank, with Stones fit enough for the bench this afternoon.

Brighton team news

14:03 , Matt Verri

Brighton XI: Sanchez, Veltman, Dunk, Webster, March, Mac Allister, Caicedo, Trossard, Gross, Lallana, Welbeck

Subs: Lamptey, Colwill, Sarmiento, Enciso, Undav, Steele, Gilmour, van Hecke, Estupinan

Man City team news

14:00 , Matt Verri

Man City XI: Ederson, Akanji, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodri, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Grealish, Haaland

Subs: Ortega Moreno, Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Alvarez, Gomez, Foden, Palmer, Lewis

Guardiola wants City to move on

13:50 , Matt Verri

Pep Guardiola does not want his side dwelling on last week’s defeat to Liverpool as Man City look to swiftly get back to winning ways.

“I’m just focused on how good they [Brighton] are, we have to be ready otherwise we are not going to get points,” Guardiola said.

“These are one of few teams who can take the ball and know exactly what they need to do with it.

“The past is the past, it is already forgotten. Of course we take the lesson on and off the pitch. If we focus on the past we lose focus on the present and future. Liverpool is history and Brighton is our future.”

How it stands...

13:41 , Matt Verri

Manchester City go into the weekend four points off Arsenal at the top of the table.

With the Gunners not in action until tomorrow, when Mikel Arteta’s travel to face Southampton, City can close that gap to just one point.

Should Brighton pull off a massive upset, they would only be five points behind City!

De Bruyne makes Man City and Arsenal comparison

13:33 , Matt Verri

Kevin De Bruyne believes there are “a lot of similarities” between Arsenal and Manchester City as he discussed Mikel Arteta’s impact on the Gunners.

The Arsenal boss began his coaching career at City under Pep Guardiola, spending three years at the club as they won two Premier League titles and an FA Cup in that period.

While Arteta has had to come through some rocky periods in charge at the Emirates, his stock has never been higher with the Gunners top of the Premier League after a flying start to the season that has left them four points clear of City.

De Bruyne has first-hand experience of working with Arteta and feels the Spaniard has taken what he picked up at City to north London.

“No, not really,” De Bruyne told Sky Sports when asked if he was surprised at the work Arteta was doing at Arsenal.

Read the full story on that here

Some decent strikes in there...

13:26 , Matt Verri

Guardiola: Liverpool rivalry not toxic

13:17 , Matt Verri

Pep Guardiola insists Manchester City’s rivalry with Liverpool has not reached a toxic level despite apologising for away fan chants during their latest high-tempered clash.

The Reds’ 1-0 win in last weekend’s Premier League clash led to a number of incidents, and not for the first time, between the teams including the chants and allegations of coins thrown from the home end at City boss Guardiola.

On Friday, the Spaniard responded to his supporters referencing the Heysel and Hillsborough tragedies in chants and graffiti at Anfield.

“I didn’t hear the chant,” Guardiola said.

“If it’s happened I’m so sorry – it doesn’t represent what we are as a team and a club. But don’t worry, we can behave perfectly [from] our mistakes. Not a problem.”

Read his full comments here

Perfect afternoon for it!

13:09 , Matt Verri

Prediction

13:03 , Matt Verri

With Brighton not exactly renowned for taking their chances, it’s difficult to see how they’ll score in a game in which they are unlikely to get much of a sniff.

Man City to win, 3-0.

Brighton team news

12:55 , Matt Verri

Jakub Moder and Kaoru Mitoma remain out for Brighton, but Roberto De Zerbi will hope to have Levi Colwill back from a knock.

The Brighton boss said in his pre-match press conference: “Our first XI? I already have the first XI but I don’t want to tell you!

“There are two, three players with maybe some problems with fatigue.”

Man City team news

12:47 , Matt Verri

John Stones is back in training ahead of the game but Pep Guardiola was unable to say if the defender will feature this weekend after a hamstring injury. Kalvin Phillips (shoulder) and Kyle Walker (groin) remain out.

Manuel Akanji could continue at right-back or Joao Cancelo may take over on the flank, allowing Aymeric Laporte or Nathan Ake a run on the left side of the defence. Alternatively, Sergio Gomez could make his first Premier League start.

Predicted Manchester City XI: Ederson; Cancelo, Dias, Ake, Gomez; Rodri, Gundogan; Silva, De Bruyne, Foden; Haaland.

How to watch Man City vs Brighton

12:40 , Matt Verri

TV channel and live stream: The game will not be broadcast in the UK due to the 3pm blackout imposed across English football.

Live blog: Follow all of the action with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog.

Free Highlights: Match of the Day will broadcast highlights when it airs at 10.30pm BST on Saturday.

Good afternoon!

12:33 , Matt Verri

Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Manchester City vs Brighton!

Pep Guardiola’s side are looking to bounce back from their defeat to Liverpool last time out, their first of the season, while Brighton need to find an answer to their problems in front of goal.

We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news ahead of kick-off, which comes at 3pm BST from the Etihad.