With Arsenal and Liverpool going above Manchester City whilst they were at Wembley the pressure started to mount but it didn’t look like the team felt that down at Brighton. We wondered throughout this season if this team had a top gear still left to hit and it seems they have found it.

Follow us on X | Subscribe to our Newsletter

Brighton 0-4 Manchester City Review

Premier League

MOTM: Phil Foden

Notable Stats:

• Manchester City are now unbeaten in 30 games in all competitions (W24 D6), making them the third English top-flight side to go 30+ matches without defeat after Nottingham Forest (40 in 1978) and Manchester United (twice 34 in 93/94 and 33 in 98/99).

• Manchester City are only the fourth side to score 4+ goals in four consecutive Premier League games after Manchester United in April 2000, Man City in May 2022 and Arsenal in March this year.

• Phil Foden is the third player to score 50 top-flight goals under Pep Guardiola while aged 23 or younger after Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

Main Takeaways:

Here is how Manchester City lined up against Brighton last night, opting for the width through full backs and a lot of players (Foden, Bernardo, De Bruyne) moving inside. City still without Erling Haaland and Kovacic comes into midfield alongside Rodri.

This is how Brighton started the match, who are without a significant amount of key players. That shouldn’t be forgotten when judging De Zerbi as a coach, his options to shuffle the tactics is quite limited with players still learning his setup, where others in Mitoma, March, Gilmour and Enciso know them well.

The first ten minutes saw City be patient and work out the press of Brighton. Who tried to close off the double pivot of Rodri/Kovacic by pressing them when the ball was passed in. You saw Walker and Gvardiol used high and wide as long passing options. Ederson used to keep calm and pick those two out. Bernardo Silva would drop alongside Rodri and Kovacic to help progress the ball and eventually Rodri dropping into the back line, Akanji moved out to the right, to get on the ball even more.

The number of tools for Manchester City is quite remarkable and is built over time through excellent coaching and recruitment. Bernardo Silva to drop into the buildup phase. Akanji stepping into midfield. Rodri dropping into the back line. De Bruyne and Foden in the half spaces. Gvardiol and Walker high and wide at FB.

You can have a plan for one specific tool but City have a whole tool box to pick from and they change it up throughout the game.

For the first goal Ake plays the ball into Foden in the right half space, he dribbles across to right side before putting a ball in behind the Brighton LB for Walker to reach as seen above.

Cross into the box with Alvarez and Bernardo running into it. De Bruyne drops back into space for his first Premier League header in his career. Foden, Walker and De Bruyne were all elite in that move.

A quick note on the press of Manchester City, being very aggressive and high that at times two/three players were in the Brighton box. Kovacic sat back to pick up loose balls and City defenders were 1v1 at the back. Putting Brighton in very uncomfortable positions all game long to try build out through. City had 4 turnovers leading to a shot on goal in the game. One of those was the goal scored by Foden. Kyle Walker and Bernardo Silva being relentless chasing, Foden quick to pull the trigger.

Alvarez in the lineup let’s City use their press more like a pack to hunt the opposition down, when they want to play out from the back like Brighton.

The use of Ederson long passes was excellent last night, for the buildup and then for the fourth goal. Kyle Walker making the run behind Barco and Alvarez off the Brighton CB.

Alvarez desperately needed that goal, not scoring since January in the Premier League and you see the frustration on his face with every shot. Good overall performance away from the goal he scored, encouraging to see that and we will need him to be switched on if Haaland is out any longer.

More of Rodri playing deeper like this please. 👆

To stay up to date with player minutes this season check out our Google Sheet here.

Moving Forward:

That win takes City back up to second in the table, one point behind Arsenal and with a game in hand. Liverpool lost against Everton on Wednesday night (2-0) which likely put’s them out of the title race and Arsenal become the team looking to seize the lead if City slip up in the final games.

This weekend Manchester City will take on Forest (A) this Sunday at 16:30 but before that Arsenal will be playing Spurs (A) also on Sunday at 14:00, a north London derby. A very tough fixture for them where even a draw is disaster. Liverpool play West Ham (A) in the 12:30 Saturday kick off.

Forest vs Man City Preview

Nottingham Forest will be without Taiwo Awoniyi and Willy Boly whilst Anthony Elanga could return to the starting eleven. Manchester City could only be missing the Premier League top scorer, Erling Haaland, who has missed the two previous matches. Fitness for this game is yet to be confirmed.

Here is how I see Manchester City lining up against Nottingham Forest on Sunday, a few changes but still going strong for the final run of Premier League games. Also a few different names that make a lot of sense.

Akanji has not had a full rest since he played against Manchester United (H) where as Dias just had his. Stones coming in to offer more control in possession against a team that likely will sit in a low block. Grealish to provide another part of that control on the LW with Doku to come on second half. Just as likely he get’s the start against a RB in Williams he can expose.

Continuing to trust Foden, Rodri, De Bruyne and Bernardo in the midfield and both Walker/Gvardiol providing the width. Walker will need to be more conservative to deal with Hudson-Odoi. Elanga could cause Gvardiol issues as well.

Here is a possible starting eleven for Nottingham Forest who could well employ a back five against Manchester City like they did at the Etihad last year. That game saw City win 2-0 after a Rodri red card.

Murillo has had a good season at CB since arriving. Gibbs-White, Elanga and Hudson-Odoi are all dangerous threats on the break for Forest. Being able to recover well for City will be key along with pinning the Forest team back. Keeping control of those counter attacks by Forest.

Forest have all the tools to sit in a well-organised low block, keep everything tight and not give City any chances. Taking the draw first and looking for a winner late in the second half. All the makings of a banana skin for City and a tough three points to earn.

Predicted Score: Nottingham Forest 1 - 2 Manchester City

Interesting Links

• Tactics Journal on the frequent rotations by Manchester City against Brighton here.

• MarkStatsBot - Brighton 0-4 Man City

• Sky Blue Times - Post Match Thread

• 93:20 Podcast - THE HUB #1

• Phil Foden playing centrally the way?

That’s all for this newsletter. If you haven’t already, subscribe to get all this Manchester City content right to your inbox.

Subscribe to Sky Blue Times

Up the Treble Winning Blues.