Match Review – Manchester City 3-1 Brighton
Records tumbled at the Etihad Stadium for Brighton and Hove Albion’s visit to Manchester City. The hosts 3-1 win ensured that they broke the Premier League records for most points in a season, most wins in a season and most goals scored in a season. Perhaps most impressive of all though was that the WeAreBrighton.com team broke our own personal record of drinking three pints at half time.
That was because of the away concourse becoming the first ground we’ve come across selling Strongbow Dark Fruits on tap. Take not please Paul Barber. As a result, the second half is slightly hazy but we were sober enough to be able to tell you that this City side, champions of 2018, are something seriously special.
With the title having been wrapped up four games ago and the trophy presented during their 0-0 draw with Huddersfield Town at the weekend, this wasn’t so much Manchester City v Brighton as the Yaya Toure appreciation evening. Toure was playing at the Etihad Stadium for the final time after eight seasons at the club and both City and their supporters were keen to mark the occasion with a full repertoire of songs and his name even being replaced on the team sheet with the word ‘Legend’. Somebody pass the sick bucket – and not just because of all that Dark Fruits.
Although he didn’t get on the score sheet, this was the perfect way for Toure to sign off. Leonardo Ulloa may have given the Albion some hope with an equaliser after 20 minutes, but really City were completely dominant. They registered 74% possession and had 19 shots in what turned out to be an exhibition in how to play football.
Leroy Sane was the most impressive player on the pitch, setting up all three goals. A quick one-two and a lung bursting run through midfield set up Danilo for the first, the second came when he ran down the left and crossed to the far post for Bernard Silva to fire home and the third came from our old favourite of a set piece, Sane collecting a short corner and delivering to Fernandinho who slotted home.
Ulloa’s goal meanwhile was classic Ulloa. The excellent Davy Propper had already rounded Claudio Bravo in the City goal and hung the ball up to the back post but Ulloa still had plenty of work to do to beat the interests of two sky blue shirts to the ball which he did, heading home for his first league goal of his second spell at the club.
It has been largely a frustrating loan spell for Ulloa with only two league starts since January thanks to the outrageous form of Glenn Murray but on this showing, we’d happily see him return to the Amex permanently in the summer. There won’t be many proven Premier League goalscorers out there available for the sort of fee that Leicester would be looking for and he represents a risk-free signing. With a full pre-season behind him and some much needed match fitness, there is no reason to think he couldn’t surpass Murray as Chris Hughton’s first choice striker and the competition would certainly bring out the best in both of them as Murray’s form since both Ulloa and Jurgen Locadia’s arrivals has shown.
Also impressive against City was Anthony Knockaert who looks a different player since his three game ban for trying to kill Leighton Baines at Everton. Knockaert had a couple of opportunities to net himself at the Etihad, the best of which came in the second half when he was wasteful after being played in by Pascal Gross and he also hit the side netting in the opening 45 minutes.
The result ensured that the Albion maintained their record so far this season of not losing by more than two goals away from home, an impressive achievement given the disparity between the top six and the rest of the Premier League. Obviously only two wins away from home and 10 goals scored is an area that leaves plenty of room for improvement for next season on the pitch while off it, well, lets get the Strongbow Dark Fruits in please, Paul.
