By Daily Sports on July 12, 2020
Raheem Sterling scored his third hat-trick of the season as Manchester City swept Brighton aside to ensure they will finish in second place in the Premier League.
City had lost their three previous away league games, including a defeat at Southampton last Sunday, but they never looked like suffering another slip-up on their return to the south coast.
Sterling, who now has 27 goals in all competitions for City this season, inflicted most of the damage on a Brighton side who never managed to make the game a contest.
The England forward put Pep Guardiola’s side ahead with a superb low finish from outside the area, collecting a Gabriel Jesus flick and cutting in from the left before firing into the opposite corner of the net.
More chances followed for City, and Jesus had a shot deflected against the bar before he got on the end of Rodri’s knockdown from a corner to make it 2-0.
The punishment did not end there for the Seagulls, as City continued to pour forward with Kevin de Bruyne pulling the strings, although a 19th league assist of the season eluded him
The Belgian fired a free-kick against the post after half-time and it was his driving forward run that led to Riyad Mahrez crossing for Sterling to head home City's third goal at the far post.
Moments later it was 4-0, when Mat Ryan spilled Bernardo Silva's shot and the Portuguese followed up to tap home.
Sterling, whose previous hat-tricks came against West Ham and Italian side Atalanta, had the final word in bizarre fashion when he chased a pass into the area and saw the ball bounce off the back of his head and cross the line as he was challenged by Ryan.
Brighton were completely outclassed and did not manage a single shot on target. (BBC)
•PHOTO: Raheem Sterling
Source Daily Sports
Posted July 12, 2020
You may also like...
Conte shakes off defeat by Man City
Chukwueze, Messi Shine as Barca Survive Villarreal Scare...
Newcastle explore record deal for Frankfurt's Ekitike
Bayern Munich Shrug Off Nightmare Flight, Set Sights...
Why Joshua silent on Fury retirement – Hearn...
Manchester City Beat Crystal Palace To Bounce Back...

Elite athletes arrive for 11th Okpekpe Int’l 10km Road Race
Slavia Prague reach agreement with Eagles prospect Ayaosi
NBF eyes Commonwealth Games redemption after Olympics failure
GTI Congratulates Rangers, Commends NPFL Board For Historic Season
Chelsea may benefit from missing Europe next season, says Rooney
3SC end 27-year wait for continental ticket
Lagos woos Otedola to champion cycle fest
African Open: Onyinyechi smashes world record as Nigeria wins 49 medals
Okpekpe Int’l 10km Race gets broadcast deal
Plymouth striker Oseni shocked by Nigeria call-up
African athletes possess NFL traits in abundance — Umenyiora
AFCON 2027: Udeze warns Chelle not to underestimate opponents
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,800 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,124 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,076 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,643 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,556 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,458 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,290 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,858 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,043 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,537 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,967 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,412 views)