A lot has happened since Manchester City’s FA Cup third round victory over Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in January. That was the start of a record-breaking run that helped City win a historic treble. Such triumphs can make it a struggle to find the motivation to keep improving but a 21st straight home victory in all competitions over Brighton, to surpass Manchester United’s run of 20 more than a decade ago, shows how high the standards are.
As well as finding new methods of inspiring his team, a summer refresh of the squad has brought a new dynamic to City. One of those arrivals, Jérémy Doku was key to their attacking prowess here. Whenever the winger received the ball, there was a brief hush as fans awaited where his dribbles would finish, the answer usually being past James Milner, as the veteran was reminded of his 37 years and the fact he is not a full-back by trade. It caused Roberto De Zerbi to do the kindest thing by removing him at half-time, with Brighton behind thanks to goals from Julián Álvarez and Erling Haaland.
