Manchester City have risen above Liverpool to the top of the Premier League table courtesy of a 2-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium.
Raheem Sterling made the breakthrough in the 29th minute against a stubborn Brighton outfit, before Sergio Aguero doubled the home side's advantage in the second period.
Read how it all unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live commentary of the action below.
Afternoon all! Welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the Premier League clash between Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion from the Etihad Stadium. City have won five and drawn one of their six league fixtures this season to sit second, and would go to the top of the table - temporarily at least - with all three points in this match. Brighton, meanwhile, have collected five points from their six matches to sit 13th in the Premier League table. Stay tuned for live minute-by-minute updates!
Brighton have not beaten Man City in the league since a 2-1 home success in April 1989, and have never won away to the Citizens in eight previous attempts - suffering six defeats in the process. Last term, City recorded a 3-1 win at the Etihad Stadium, and will fancy their chances of collecting all three points this afternoon. Can Brighton come up with a shock result?
Right, without further ado, let me bring you up-to-speed with the all-important team news from the Etihad Stadium. Brighton have had a free week to prepare for this match, but City were in EFL Cup action against Oxford United on Tuesday night - recording a 3-0 win to advance.
TEAMS!
MAN CITY: Ederson; Walker, Otamendi, Laporte, Zinchenko; Bernardo Silva, Fernandinho, David Silva; Sterling, Aguero, Sane
BRIGHTON: Ryan; Montoya, Dunk, Duffy, Bong; Knockaert, Propper, Kayal, March; Bissouma; Locadia
So there we have it. Kevin De Bruyne, Benjamin Mendy, Eliaquim Mangala and Claudio Bravo are all still injured for Man City, and as expected, Pep Guardiola has shuffled his pack again. Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling join Sergio Aguero in the final third, while Bernardo Silva and David Silva also start in what is a very attacking XI. Oleksandr Zinchenko is in at left-back for the home side.
As for Brighton, Pascal Gross and Dale Stephens remain on the sidelines with ankle and hamstring problems respectively. Jose Izqueirdo played for the Under-23s on Monday, but this match has come too soon. There is a change in the final third though as Jurgen Locadia comes in for his first start of the season in place of Glenn Murray, with the experienced striker on the bench.
FULL-TIME: WEST HAM 3-1 MAN UNITED
West Ham have beaten Man United 3-1 at the London Stadium. The pressure builds on Jose Mourinho and his team. Another poor performance and poor result. Great for West Ham though.
City will enter this match off the back of a 3-0 win over Oxford United in the EFL Cup on Tuesday night. Guardiola's side thumped Cardiff City 5-0 in the Premier League last weekend, meanwhile, in their two matches since surprisingly losing to Lyon in the Champions League.
As mentioned, the reigning English champions sit second in the table on 16 points, two points behind leaders Liverpool, who will face Chelsea in the late kickoff. As a result, a win for the home side here takes them top, and they are the overwhelming favourites to collect all the points.
In terms of what is ahead for City, they will look to return to winning ways in the Champions League away to Hoffenheim on Tuesday night, before travelling to Liverpool in the Premier League next weekend. It is a vital couple of weeks for the Citizens, and a win here followed by victory over Liverpool at Anfield would certainly show that the champions mean business once again.
As for Brighton, a total of five points from six matches has left them in 13th position in the Premier League table. The Seagulls have won one, drawn two and lost three of their six fixtures thus far, and will enter this match off the back of a 2-1 home defeat to Tottenham last weekend.
Brighton opened their campaign with a 2-0 defeat at Watford, but bounced back with a 3-2 win over Manchester United in their first home match. The Seagulls then lost against Liverpool, before drawing back-to-back games with Fulham and Southampton ahead of the Tottenham loss.
In terms of what is ahead for Brighton, they will host West Ham United in their next match on Friday night, before taking on Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers. This is a really tough game for the Seagulls, but they have already beaten one team from Manchester this season.
Here we go then; both sets of players have joined us on the pitch ahead of kickoff at the Etihad Stadium. Can Brighton upset the champions here? Tough ask. Stay tuned for live updates!
KICKOFF: Brighton kick things off at the Etihad Stadium...
... decent start from Brighton as the away side force the first corner of the match following sloppy work from the home side, but it comes to nothing. Brighton are in green this afternoon.
City's first corner of the match is delivered into the Brighton box by Sane, but Brighton manage to clear their lines. It has been an open start to the match, with the visitors showing good intent.
First half-chance of the match falls to City as Aguero rises to meet a cross, but the Argentine's over-head kick is blocked. City are having a lot of the ball at the moment as they pass and probe.
Brighton are struggling to get out of their own half at the moment as City continue to dominate the ball. Another corner comes into the near post, but Bong makes a smart clearance.
YELLOW CARD! Knockaert (Brighton) is booked for a foul on Zinchenko.
City have had loads of the ball in the first 12 minutes, but Brighton will be pretty pleased with their start to this match. No real chances for the home side thus far this afternoon.
Still all City in terms of possession as they continue to pass and probe. Crosses continue to arrive into the Brighton box, but Duffy and Dunk have been impressive in the first 14 minutes.
Not the best game at the moment to be honest. City have dominated the possession, but not too much else has happened. Locadia has not really had a touch in the final third for Brighton.
City continue to deliver crosses into the Brighton box, and Brighton continue to clear their lines. It is one-way traffic, but Aguero's early over-head kick has been the only half-chance here.
Smart work from Ryan to claw away a deep cross from David Silva.
Sane breaks into a dangerous position before delivering low, but once again the danger is cleared. Moments before, Brighton had their first break through Bissouma, but the midfielder could not feed Locadia, who has seen hardly anything of the ball in the first 22 minutes.
Pass, pass, pass from City. Defend, defend, defend from Brighton. Repeat.
Zinchenko is seeing a lot of the ball in a deep position, with the number 35 almost playing as a midfielder. City have another corner as Dunk clears, but Duffy rises to head clear. Still 0-0.
SAVE! Routine save from Ryan to keep out a long-range strike from Sane.
GOAL! GOAL! MAN CITY 1-0 BRIGHTON (STERLING)
City finally make the breakthrough in the 29th minute as Sane races into a wide position before delivering low into Sterling, who could not miss. Brighton are undone at the Etihad Stadium.
That is tough on Brighton, but City have been much the better side in the first 33 minutes. Sterling might have struggled at the World Cup, but he already has four Premier League goals this season. A second for the home side in this first half could well decide the match here.
Little over 10 minutes of the first period remaining, and City lead 1-0 on home soil.
Sane struggled to get into the City team in the early weeks of the season, but the German has been excellent for the home side in this first period. Brighton cannot live with the attacker.
Laporte breaks clear from the pack to meet a corner from Sane, but his header is away from goal. Dunk then has to clear a cross from Bernardo Silva as the pressure continues here.
Duffy and Dunk have been outstanding in this first period, and the pair take it in turns to clear crosses from a wide position. City continue to dominate the ball, but they have not actually created too much. Poor Locadia - Brighton's lone forward - has just not been involved here.
SAVE! Really smart save from Ryan to keep out a strike from Sterling!
YELLOW CARD! Duffy (Brighton) is booked for a foul on David Silva.
SAVE! Decent save from Ryan to keep out a long-range Fernandinho strike.
HALF TIME: MAN CITY 1-0 BRIGHTON
So there we have it. The referee brings the first period at the Etihad to a close with City leading Brighton 1-0 courtesy of a close-range Raheem Sterling finish. City have utterly dominated the match, but Duffy and Dunk have both been outstanding for the away side in central defence.
STATISTICS! Brighton only had 22% of the ball in the first half, and only managed one attempt on target. City, meanwhile, had 16 attempts, four of which were on target. The home side have been utterly dominant in all the important areas, but serious chances have been few and far between.
BENCH WATCH! Brighton boss Hughton has a number of attacking options on his bench this afternoon, with the likes of Jahanbaksh, Izqueirdo, Balogun and Murray all capable of making a difference in the second half. City, meanwhile, have options in the shape of Jesus, Foden and Mahrez.
KICKOFF: City resume the action in the second half...
... no changes from either side at the break, which is not a surprise. However, I suspect that both managers will have alterations in mind as the second period continues to develop here.
Half-chance for the home side as Aguero meets a cross from Walker, but his header was always dropping wide of the post. A second for City would surely seal all three points in this game.
Propper delivers a super ball into the City box, but there are no takers, and Ederson comes to collect. At 1-0, Brighton will always be in this match. Duffy and Dunk have been immense.
Pass, pass, pass from City as they continue to look for space in the final third. I wonder how long Hughton will leave it before potentially introducing leading scorer Murray here.
Just a reminder that a win for City here would take them to the top of the Premier League table, with Liverpool facing Chelsea in the late kickoff. No serious chances in the second period.
SAVE! Comfortable save from Ryan to keep out a strike from Zinchenko.
Zinchenko continues to impress for the home side as he picks up the ball down the left. City are really pressing for a second goal, but Brighton are standing very firm indeed here.
CHANCE! Sane meets a cross from Bernardo Silva, but misses the target!
SAVE! Ryan with a wonderful save to keep out a strike from David Silva!
City are really, really forcing the issue at the moment as Brighton just look to survive here.
We are just entering the period of the match where both managers will be considering alterations. Brighton will be in the game as long as the score stays 1-0, no doubt about that.
Sane breaks into a dangerous position and has the chance to pick out Sterling, but the pass is just behind the goalscorer. Brighton are back defending their own box with numbers here.
GOAL! MAN CITY 2-0 BRIGHTON (AGUERO)
City double their advantage in the 65th minute, and it is a wonderful team goal. Aguero beats three players in a central position before finding Sterling, who returns the favour, and the Argentine slots into the back of the net. Brighton are undone by some brilliance here.
MAN CITY SUB! Jesus replaces Aguero for the home side.
Brighton have defended very well this afternoon, but they could end up losing this by three or four, which would be harsh. City are heading to the top of the Premier League table.
City are relentless at the moment as they continue to put the pressure on Brighton all over the park. The home supporters are in good voice as we enter the final 20 minutes of action.
MAN CITY SUB! Mahrez replaces Sane for the home side.
Mahrez works space in a forward position before looking to curl one into the top corner, but his effort was always moving wide of the far post. Nothing from Brighton at the moment here.
Pass, pass, pass from Man City as we approach the final 15 minutes of action here.
SAVE! Comfortable save from Ryan to keep out a strike from Mahrez.
BRIGHTON SUB! Knockaert is replaced by Jahanbaksh.
Possession football from City at the moment, and Brighton cannot get near them.
BRIGHTON SUB! Izqueirdo replaces March for the away side.
Just the one shot on target for Brighton in this match. They came to defend, which is not a surprise, and have simply been unable to offer anything in the final third of the field.
YELLOW CARD! Montoya (Brighton) is booked for bringing Sterling to the deck.
MAN CITY SUB! Foden replaces David Silva.
We are into the first of three minutes of additional time here.
Man City continue to keep the ball as the full-time whistle approaches here.
FULL TIME: MAN CITY 2-0 BRIGHTON
So there we have it. The referee brings the second period to a close with City recording a 2-0 win over Brighton at the Etihad Stadium. A very comfortable afternoon for the Premier League champions. Thanks for joining Sports Mole for our live coverage once again!
