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...
Ighalo: What Makes Me Different From Rashford And...
Edo Sports Commission Welcomes Dynamic African Stars as...
Mo Farah wins Diamond League 5,000m in Eugene,...
Manchester City Thank Nigerians For Successful Trophy Show...
Andy Murray beats Stan Wawrinka to reach his...
Kerber seals year-ending world number one ranking

Messi is pure history, says Argentine coach ahead of World Cup final
Trump says England’s Tuchel ‘made a mistake’ with Kane in Argentina World Cup defeat
World Cup final: Messi may equal Ronaldo’s unique football record
D’Tigers star Eric to hold basketball camp in Lagos
Commonwealth Games: Amusan arrives Team Nigeria camp
Oloko’s Falcons dream comes true with Nnadozie
WAFCON worth fighting for, says Oshoala
Ashe praises world-class Nigeria camp ahead of C’wealth Games
World Cup: Argentina face FIFA sanction over Falklands banner display
World Cup English FA backs Tuchel despite semi-final loss
Messi, Argentina finds Pickford’s penalty cheat sheet – Report
Argentina punished England after sensing weakness, doubts, says Scaloni W’Cup semi-final win
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,962 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (55,304 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (53,214 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,818 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,701 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (52,572 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (52,461 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,976 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (51,195 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,664 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (48,141 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (47,527 views)