JUST PHIL TH
Man-of-the-match Foden scores two and has
PHIL FODEN produced a performance that illustrated why he is becoming Pep Guardiola’s most important player.
Foden scored twice after being employed as a deep-lying striker as the champions blew Brighton away with three goals in the first half-hour.
He was also heavily involved in goals for Ilkay Gundogan’s opener and Riyad Mahrez’s final salvo.
And Seagulls substitute Alexis Mac Allister bagged a penalty that Graham Potter’s men deserved for their refusal to throw in the towel. Foden was the star of the show – and not just because of his goals and assist.
Albion just could not find an answer in the first half to the 21-year-old’s running and intelligent passing.
And when the Seagulls stirred themselves after the break, he put in the hard yards.
Foden’s emergence has enabled Guardiola to nurse Kevin De Bruyne back to full fitness.
The Belgian came back from the Euros with an ankle injury and he was left resting on the bench for 75 minutes at the Amex.
On the 10th anniversary of City’s famous 6-1 derby demolition of rivals United, they threatened to hand out another hammering. Brighton went into the game on the back of a five-game unbeaten run, but at times were chasing shadows.
Even with Raheem Sterling left in Manchester nursing a knock, the Blues looked in the mood for goals.
Joao Cancelo forced Albion keeper Robert Sanchez into an early save after combining with Jack Grealish to unleash a low shot towards the bottom corner.
Jesus thought he had scored when a rapid counter-attack saw Gundogan free the Brazilian. Jesus’s shot took a flick off Sanchez and then Lewis Dunk stretched to produce a spectacular goalline clearance.
But the visitors were ahead after 12 minutes.
Foden’s deflected shot should have provided a simple catch for Sanchez.
But the Spaniard spilled the ball under challenge from Jesus and Silva’s pass meant Gundogan could not miss.
A VAR check confirmed
Sanchez had not been fouled. He redeemed himself by saving at the feet of Foden and Grealish before thwarting Jesus.
But City scored again in the 26th minute – and what a goal it was.
Rodri intercepted Marc Cucurella’s pass inside his own box and sprung Silva in central midfield.
The Portuguese timed his ball to free Grealish to perfection and the midfielder did the same after luring Sanchez from his goal to give Foden a sliding finish.
Foden scored again in the 31st minute, but this time he knew nothing about it.
Sanchez saved Grealish’s shot, but
Jesus’s follow-up effort took a deflection off Foden’s hip and found the corner.
Brighton must have feared the worst.
But they were given some encouragement just before the break when Solly March’s powerful shot slipped through Ederson’s fingers and the Brazilian had to grasp the ball at the second attempt.
And in the second half, they rallied themselves to respond after the break.
Pascal Gross was unlucky with a shot on the turn that Ederson did well to grasp.
And when Potter sent on Tariq Lamptey and Enock Mwepu and moved to a three-man defence just before the hour, his team continued to gain momentum.
Ederson saved again to divert Leandro Trossard’s angled blast over the bar.
Guardiola sent on Fernandinho and De Bruyne.
But Albion got the goal they deserved when Ederson inexplicably threw himself at the feet of Mwepu and sent the Zambian sprawling.
Ederson got a hand to Mac Allister’s spot-kick, but couldn’t keep it out.
However, City had the last word deep into stoppage time when Foden’s industry and vision set-up substitute Mahrez to fire high past Sanchez.