Man City return to top after answering Liverpool with resounding win over Brighton

Brighton win another free kick in a dangerous area. MacAllister goes for goal but he slips as he is about to make contact with the ball, lofting the ball into the stands. 

That is that. City are back at the top of the table!

Brighton win a free kick on the edge of the City box. The cross is headed clear when the ball eventually comes in. Dunk is yellow carded for manhandling his marker. 

There will be three minutes of added time.

Brighton are camped in City's half but without threatening the goal...

De Bruyne is off, Jesus on.

Game over. City pounce on a loose pass, De Bruyne passing to Bernardo on the edge of the box who strikes the ball into the bottom corner first time.

Brighton are trying to fight their way back into this match but a goal for the visitors does not look likely at the moment.

Change for City; Stones gets a standing ovation as he comes off, Zinchenko is on in his place. Welbeck is off for Brighton, Maupay on.

Mwepu drives into the City box but Gundogan gets a foot in to put the ball behind for a corner. De Bruyne heads the resulting set-piece away.

Foden cruises through on goal but cannot beat Sanchez from a clear one-on-one. The ball falls to Bernardo but his shot is blocked. The offside flag then goes up. It was close.

Sarmiento is on for Brighton.

Gundogan weaves his way into the Brighton box but his curling effort is blocked. 

Brighton respond well, winning a corner. Grob takes it but the ball is headed clear. City then have a chance of their own, a Foden volley is blocked however.

City double their lead! Mahrez takes a corner to Foden on the edge of the box, he releases a low shot that takes a huge deflection, wrongfooting Sanchez and trickling into the back of the net! Luck with City there.

Laporte gives the ball away allowing Brighton to attack. Bernardo tracks back well to stop it before anythings comes of it. 

Cancelo drives a low cross into the box but the shot that follows is well blocked. 

Change for Brighton; Lamptey off, Webster on. 

March drives up the left wing, winning a corner. Groß takes it, finding Welbeck but he can only direct his header straight at Ederson! Chance wasted!

The atmosphere has lifted at the Etihad, the fans' nervousness released by that goal.

City take the lead! De Bruyne dribbles forward, playing the ball to Mahrez who dinks the ball home! That goal was coming after a strong start to the half.

Foden makes a clever run in behind, earning his side a corner. The ball is headed clear, it lands at the feet of Cancelo who hammers the ball just wide after a slight deflection.

The second corner reaches Bernardo on the volley but it goes wide.

Dias, who came on for Ake at half time, already looks to be adding a commanding presence to the City defence.

City start the half brightly but once again a cross into the box is dealt with.

Brighton get us restarted.

Brighton win a free kick in a good area for a cross. The ball in is headed clear and that's that.

Frustrating 45 minutes for Man City and Pep Guardiola.

De Bruyne fires a in a dangerous low ball which is dealt with by a diving Dunk. 

There will be two minutes of added time.

Brighton come again. Good spell for the visitors this. Lamptey sends in a low cross which is hacked clear. March does the same from the other wing and the same result follows.

Brighton win themselves a corner after Gundogan has a shot blocked in their box. A dangerous ball is headed clear at the back post.

Stones switches the play to Mahrez, the ball is brought down nicely before the move fizzles out. The home fans are starting to get a little antsy. 

Bernardo wins a throw-in in an advanced position.

City continue to dominate possession but Brighton are holding firm. They are very well organised and the team is working very hard.

Cancelo whips a cross into the box and Veltman heads it clear.

Foden is picked out in the box. He brings the ball down, squaring it but Lamptey beats Gundogan to it. Brighton break down the right but City win it back, possibly via a foul that goes unpunished.

De Bruyne releases Bernardo. He fires a shot towards the top corner forcing a strong save from Sanchez.

City break forward. Mahrez and De Bruyne exchange passes in the Brighton box but the chance is shut down by Caicedo just in time.

Possession is exchanged on half-way during a sloppy passage of play. It ends with Cancelo shooting from 35 yards with the ball ending up in the packed stands. 

Ake attempts to loft a pass to De Bruyne but it is cut out. Brighton counter but Ake intercepts the ball over the top that was looking for Welbeck. 

Foden breaks down the left but Veltman gets back to deal with the danger. City are just lacking a cutting edge against this organised Brighton outfit at the moment.

Brighton beat the City press. A cross comes into the box but Cancelo does well to nod it back to his keeper.

At the other end, City win a corner. The corner is headed clear. They come again but the second ball is also dealt with.

City press Brighton into an error, Sanchez passing the ball straight to Mahrez on the edge of the box. He takes a touch but by the time he tries to shoot a sliding challenge comes in to halt the chance. Sanchez was by the right hand post leaving Mahrez with a huge target! Chance missed,

The noise inside the stadium has gone up a level with City fans urging their side on. No doubt their energy is fuelled by Liverpool's resounding win last night...

Brighton are sitting deep, looking to hit City on the counter. The home side are keeping the ball nicely at the moment, however. No clear chances as of yet though.

City attack down the right but Mahrez cannot quite keep the ball in play. Goal kick to Brighton.

Rodri drives forward and is fouled as he approaches the Brighton box. De Bruyne curls the free kick into the back post, Ake rises highest but his header back across goal is dealt with by a Brighton boot.

A defensive error almost lets Gundogan through on goal but Dunk recovers well to snuff out the danger.

Brighton launch their first attack. A ball is played in behind but Ake beats Lamptey to it. Important intervention from the defender playing left back tonight.

City counter but Mahrez cannot produce the final pass to create a chance.

The corner is headed away to Mahrez who strikes an effort from the edge of the box just wide. City come down the left again but this time Bernardo's cross is headed away with ease.

City make a calm start, spreading the ball around the back before breaking down the left with Foden. Bernardo then wins a corner.

City get us under way.

Huge match for City. A win tonight takes them above Liverpool and back to the top of the table.

Set to make appearance number 3️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ tonight... @DeBruyneKev