Brighton: In-form Raheem Sterling scored a hat trick as Manchester City began a potentially turbulent few days by blowing away Brighton 5-0 to secure second place in the English Premier League.
Gabriel Jesus and Bernardo Silva also were on target to help City emphatically end a run of three straight away losses. Pep Guardiola’s side is assured of finishing runner-up to already-crowned champion Liverpool, but whether g took his goal tally in all competitions to 27, making it the most prolific campaign of his career to date. City was at its mesmerising best and, on another day, would have won by an even greater margin as Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne each hit the goal frame. City has 23 goals in seven matches since the restart of the league last month. Brighton was outclassed and repeatedly afforded its dominant opponents lots of space, without offering any resistance.
The Seagulls remained eight points clear of the relegation zone following a second home defeat in just four days, after 3-1 to Liverpool.
De Bruyne captained City as Guardiola rotated his squad by making six alterations to the team which thrashed Newcastle 5-0 in midweek. Sterling made the breakthrough, expertly bending a finish into the bottom right corner from 20 yards (meters) after he was allowed too much space when Jesus nodded Riyad Mahrez’s searching pass into his path. (AP)
