1-0, Haaland, min. 22. 2-0, Haaland, min. 43 (pen.). 2-1, Trossard, min. 53. 3-1, De Bruyne, min. 75.

Manchester City 3-1 Brighton & Hove Albion: Haaland continues sizzling form as champions ease to victory

The Belgian took his tally to 17 goals of the season as Manchester City move one point off the top of the table.

Manchester City 3-1 Brighton & Hove Albion: Haaland continues sizzling form as champions ease to victory
Photo: Manchester City FC/Manchester City FC via Getty Images
john-lupo
By John Lupo

Erling Haaland scored two more goals as Manchester City defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium.

The Citizens have won ten straight Premier League games at home, scoring at least three times in all of them to equal a top-flight record previously held alone by Aston Villa over the 1930 and 1931 seasons.

Haaland opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and added a second from the penalty spot two minutes from halftime.

Leandro Trossard cut the deficit in half eight minutes into the second half, but a superb strike from Kevin de Bruyne ensured the Seagulls are still without a point under new manager Roberto De Zerbi.

Story of the match

A miscued pass by Ederson on 12 minutes as he was attempting to find Joao Cancelo gave Danny Welbeck a chance, but his audacious chip from 30 yards flew over the bar.

Manchester City thought they had earned a penalty when Haaland collected a pass from De Bruyne and he went down in front of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, but VAR upheld Craig Pawson's original decision to not give it.

Three minutes later, the Belgian opened the scoring, latching on to Ederson's long pass, pushing defender Adam Webster and rounding Sanchez to finish into an empty net.

The visitors then had a couple of chances to level, Trossard seeing his shot blocked and Welbeck meeting Pascal Gross' corner at the near post, but he was well wide.

Just after the half-hour mark, De Bruyne and Jack Grealish played a neat one-two before the former forced a block out of Lewis Dunk.

For the third time in the match, City appealed for a penalty, this time Dunk sticking out a leg to trip Bernardo Silva. Pawson consulted VAR, pointed to the spot upon completion of the review and Haaland fired low past Sanchez.

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De Zerbi made one change at halftime, bringing on Tariq Lamptey for Adam Lallana.

Sanchez was called into action eight minutes after the restart as De Bruyne set up Riyad Mahrez, but the Seagulls goalkeeper made a fine save on the Algerian's close-range effort.

A minute later, the visitors pulled one back. Gross swept the ball to Solly March, who found Trossard and he beat Ederson with a powerful right-footed strike inside the near post.

Just past the hour mark, Phil Foden was introduced with Mahrez coming off. At the other end, Pervis Estupinan came on for Joel Veltman.

Alexis Mac Allister then teed up Lamptey, but the right-back saw his header comfortably collected by Ederson.

From a corner, Aymeric Laporte came close to restoring the Citizens' two-goal advantage, going narrowly wide with his header.

Moments later, the visitors nearly levelled as a surging run from the halfway line by Trossard ended with a shot that Ederson blocked.

Two minutes later, City put the game to bed. Silva played a square pass to De Bruyne and after taking a touch, he struck a left-footed shot into the top left-hand corner, leaving Sanchez with no chance.

Player of the match: Erling Haaland

Two more goals took him to 24 across all competitions and 12 in five home games in Premier League action. Another showcase of his raw speed and power with no signs of slowing down.