Pep Guardiola's ruthless call after Phil Foden goal kills Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool dream for good
Manchester City won a Premier League title at Brighton in 2019 to deny Liverpool on a dramatic final day. Their latest trip won't win another just yet, but it could be the result that denies Liverpool a farewell crown for Jurgen Klopp.
In this three-horse title race, Liverpool have unseated themselves in recent weeks, with their manager and captain effectively conceding the title after a dismal derby defeat at Everton on Wednesday. City pulled them up as they leapfrogged Liverpool into second, and have the momentum against leaders Arsenal with the home straight approaching.
After so much talk of tiredness and fixture scheduling, this was a performance that looked like City had all the time in the world to prepare for. They were well-drilled, hungry, and their press was excellent. They were everything Liverpool weren't the night before, and made a tricky Brighton side look ordinary.
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Guardiola and his players had complained of tiredness and taken not-so-subtle swipes at the FA for their scheduling of their Champions League and FA Cup games last week. Bernardo insisted it was not fair and the turnaround between games was putting players' health at risk.
They have a legitimate point, but the welfare issue was put into perspective by the appearance of Russ Cook ahead of kick-off, who has just run the length of Africa - what must he think of these Premier League players complaining of playing 180 minutes over three days. Thankfully, there were no fitness issues at the Amex.
Guardiola had a luxurious five days to prepare for this game after all, giving his squad two days off and then 'putting them in the fridge' before this Thursday night contest. On this basis, they might be heading back in there for the rest of the season.
Much of the improved display came through Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden. The formation with the pair in the same XI has looked a little experimental of late, with both playing better when the other is not in the team. But this setup looked like it had been flourishing for years. The pair were rotating as a false nine, with Julian Alvarez sometimes in the middle and sometimes out wide. When Foden waited to slip in Kyle Walker out wide, De Bruyne knew where to go.
Kyle Walker's cross back to the penalty spot was perfect, and De Bruyne's diving header sailed into the top corner. Incredibly, this was De Bruyne's first headed Premier League goals, and it was a strike that continued his good goalscoring form, silencing critics of his overall performances in recent games. That has been a legitimate question mark, and heavily associated with the intense workload rather than any drop in form, although De Bruyne himself feels he has been performing to a high standard and will continue to feel that way after this display.
He played with a point to prove against Brighton, rotating with Foden as the false nine as Julian Alvarez dragged Lewis Dunk and Joel Veltman wide. When Foden danced into the box, play was pulled back for a free-kick, much to the hosts' dismay. The locals were unhappy with both Foden and the referee, and even more furious when Foden's strike deflected in for a second.
Maybe it was the fixture congestion, or maybe Arsenal's big win over Chelsea had focussed minds - but this was a completely dominant performance. The first objective for City at Brighton was to win by any means possible. The second, if possible, was to catch up some of Arsenal's goal difference. If they were ruthless for the opening two goals, Brighton provided an absolute gift for a third before the 35 minute mark.
City's high press forced five risky passes in the Brighton box, but a sixth was intercepted by Bernardo and Foden stroked in one of the easiest goals he'll score all season. That gave Guardiola a choice for the second half - go for more goals, or make changes to conserve energy ahead of Sunday's trip to Nottingham Forest. As the players walked off at the break, coupling up for tactical chats with each other, you can imagine the popular vote would have been to continue to try and score as many as possible.
Guardiola seemingly agreed and sent his side out unchanged in search of more goals. Alvarez obliged for just his second goal in 17 outings after a one-man break forward by Walker. Only then, after 70 minutes had passed, were Foden and De Bruyne returned to the bench. Bernardo, Walker and Rodri followed soon after.
With Liverpool's capitulation continuing at Everton on Wednesday, Klopp admitted that they needed a City crisis to have any chance of turning their faltering farewell title bid around. Virgil Van Dijk took the exceptional step of criticising the desire in the Liverpool squad, effectively conceding the title to one of City or Arsenal. City fans copied Everton and Manchester United chants from the night before to delight that 'Jurgen's cracking up.'
If City made a decent effort at clawing back the goal difference deficit to Arsenal, who added five to their superior total against Chelsea on Tuesday, this performance effectively ended Liverpool's title challenge. This was a better, more complete performance than most in recent memory, and there was certainly no sign of a crisis.
Van Dijk hammered his teammates this week, incredibly asking: "Do they really want to win the league?" There is no need to ask that of this City squad, who won't give Klopp what he desperately wants. He will surely now end his tenure with just a single Premier League title to his name.
The three-horse race has just lost one of its horses as City canter on.