BLUE MOON IS RISING!
Foden fires City to third spot with winner and Pep’s men are in the mood
MANCHESTER CITY continued their quiet climb up the table with a fourth successive Premier League win.
While all the title talk is centred around the top two of Manchester United and Liverpool, who meet on Sunday, there is an ominous look about Pep Guardiola’s relentless side.
After a tough start to the season, City have hit their stride in recent weeks and have their swagger back as the campaign approaches the halfway stage. Phil Foden’s goal, plundered just before half- time, stretched the hosts’ unbeaten run in all competitions to 14 games, conceding just three goals in the process.
Although Brighton made them work until the final whistle for the hard- fought victory, Guardiola’s men were superior overall and should have won by a more convincing margin.
That they failed to do so was in large part down to the heroics of Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez, while a missed penalty from Raheem Sterling in added time made it a more anxious finale for
City than it should have been. The hosts settled into their familiar passing pattern early on and conjured the first chance after 14 minutes when Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne combined, the latter denied by Sanchez, who came off his line to block the Belgian’s effort.
City were presented with another chance to break the deadlock in the 27th minute.
A long De Bruyne pass was intercepted by Adam Webster and directed back to Sanchez, who picked up the ball, referee Darren England interpreting it as a deliberate back pass. City were awarded an indirect free- kick inside the Brighton area, but De Bruyne’s effort was charged down by Alexis Mac Allister, another chance squandered by the home side.
But City kept on pushing,
De Bruyne displaying his full repertoire of sublime deliveries, curling a delightful ball towards Riyad Mahrez at the far post in the 35 th minute, Brighton’s Bernardo getting there before him with a vital interception.
De B ruy new as the instigator of a breakaway move five minutes later, finding Foden, before the ball found its way back to him, his fierce shot palmed away by Sanchez, who was becoming increasingly busy.
The goal City’s pressure and dominance warranted duly came a minute before the half- time whistle, De Bruyne threading the ball into Foden, who cut inside before rolling a calm finish inside Sanchez’s near post for his 10th goal of the season.
Foden, City’s leading scorer in all competitions, was mobbed by at l east eight team- mates, the celebration in direct contravention of the Premier League’s Covid- 19 edict that players should not embrace after scoring.
In a frenetic minute just before the hour, City had three chances to extend their lead, M ah re zs hooting wide, Gundogan seeing as hot saved , and Bernardo Silva striking the upright from the loose ball. City threw everything at the Seagulls, who kept the hosts at bay and had chances of their own to get back into the game.
But City ’s rearguard, held together by the outstanding new partnership of Ruben Dias and John Stones, didn’t buckle. Substitute Sterling should have made the win more comfortable, when City won a penalty after De Bruyne was brought down by Sanchez.
But Sterling blazed his spot- kick over the bar, any dismay felt by Guardiola ( left) turning to relief moments later when the final whistle signalled victory for City.