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Manchester City secured a hard-fought victory over Brighton at the Etihad, with a 44th-minute strike by Phil Foden giving them all three points.
Having named a slightly-rotated side for the FA Cup clash against Birmingham last weekend, Pep Guardiola was back to his strongest XI and made four changes from the team which picked up the 3-0 victory on Saturday.
The hosts expectedly started the game on the front foot and were totally dominant in the opening exchanges but failed to convert their possession to chances.
A penalty appeal for a handball was waved away by referee Darren England in the 34th minute and VAR agreed with the decision.
Just when it looked like both sides would go into the break level, an excellent Kevin De Bruyne pass was finished with a cool strike by Phil Foden to put Manchester City 1-0 up.
The England international still had a lot to do when he received the pass just outside the box, but his touch and finish on his weaker foot underlined his sheer brilliance.
The assist was De Bruyne's ninth of the current Premier League season, and 75th overall, taking him one clear of Thierry Henry into 11th on the all-time standings.
The second half began in the same fashion as the first ended but some inspired goalkeeping from Robert Sanchez kept the scoreline as it was.
Brighton grew in confidence the longer the game wore on and had a good 10-minute spell where they put Manchester City on the backfoot. But they failed to truly test Ederson's goal.
A moment of madness led to a defensive mix-up between Lewis Dunk and Sanchez, leading the Brighton goalkeeper to foul Kevin De Bruyne for a penalty in the first minute of injury time.
Substitute Raheem Sterling stepped up and blazed the ensuing spot kick over the bar, to continue Manchester City's poor record from 12 yards.
Ultimately, his miss was not costly, as Manchester City secured all three points to move up to third on the Premier League standings.
Here, we shall be having a rundown of five talking points from the fixture at the Etihad.
#5 Manchester City machine slowly kicking into full gear
Pep Guardiola endured the worst start to a campaign in his managerial career this term, with Manchester City looking out of sorts in the early parts of the season.
Considering the unique nature of the season, coupled with several injury problems, this could be understood. However, such excuses would not have held for too long due to the quality of players available to the Spaniard.
It was always only a matter of time before things started to fall in line for the Mancunians and they have turned a positive corner in recent weeks.
The victory over Brighton means Manchester City have now won their last seven matches consecutively in all competitions, and this has propelled them up to third on the league table.
They currently sit just four points behind table-toppers and city rivals Manchester United with a game in hand.
At this rate, Manchester City have undeniably installed themselves back in the title race and once Guardiola's machine starts marching on, there could be no stopping them.
#4 Despite victory, lack of goals would be a cause of concern for Pep Guardiola
Over the course of his managerial career, Pep Guardiola has made a name for himself as the biggest proponent of attacking football in his generaton.
This has been reflected in his managerial spells across Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, with each of them setting goalscoring records under the legendary Catalan.
However, this season has seen a departure from the norm for City, and the Etihad outfit currently struggle to get goals as frequently as before.
Against Brighton, the hosts had almost 70% of the possession and created several chances in the second half, but a combination of poor finishing, as well as some excellent saves from Sanchez ensured Manchester City did not score more than one goal.
The fact that City did not get another goal left Brighton in the game and gave the visitors belief that they could get something out of it, which is hardly ideal for a club of City's standards.
Riyad Mahrez, Kevin De Bruyne, and Bernardo Silva were all guilty of missing clear-cut chances and although Manchester City got all three points, their lack of precision in attack might have cost them on another day.
The horrendous penalty by Raheem Sterling encapsulated the day for the hosts' attack and Guardiola would have to find a solution to this problem fast.
#3 Brighton's poor run against Manchester City continues
Brighton came into this clash against Manchester City having lost their previous seven meetings with the Citizens by an aggregate score of 21-2.
Their last visit to the Etihad ended in a 4-0 whitewash, while Raheem Sterling scored a hat-trick in their most recent 5-0 defeat at the Amex post-lockdown.
Despite not suffering another embarrassing defeat, the Seagulls were no match for the hosts and in many ways, the scoreline flattered them.
This defeat to Manchester City means that Brighton have now gone nine games without a victory in the Premier League, leaving them rooted in 17th spot.
They are just two points ahead of 18-th placed Fulham, who have two games in hand. Graham Potter has to start getting points on board to steer clear of the relegation places.
#2 John Stones continues impressive trajectory for Manchester City
It was not too long ago that John Stones seemingly had no future at Manchester City, as a combination of poor form and injuries had seen him lose his place in the starting line-up.
However, things have changed this season for the England international and he has become one of the first names on the team sheet.
He took advantage of Aymeric Laporte's absence at the start of the season to ingrain himself into the side and has now formed an almost-unbreakable partnership with Ruben Dias.
Against Brighton, Stones was at his imperious best as he made a perfectly-timed tackle to deny Neal Maupay when the Brighton forward was through on goal in the 84th minute.
In total, the former Everton man made three clearances and one interception in what was another dominant display at the back.
This latest shutout was the 10th that Manchester City had kept in their last 13 matches, and John Stones has played a major role in their defence becoming solid.
#1 Match-winner Phil Foden proving to be the difference-maker for Pep Guardiola
Phil Foden has grown in stature and confidence over the last three years, justifying Guardiola's adamant decision to keep him at the Etihad.
Having come through the Manchester City academy, Foden is currently starring in the first-team and has begun to fill some of the void created by the mercurial David Silva's departure.
Against Brighton, he showed the full range of his technique to score the winning goal despite the ball being on his weaker foot. At this rate, he would surely continue to play a key role under Pep Guardiola.
His goal took him to eight for the season, making him the highest goalscorer for the club in this campaign. Despite being only 20 years, the Stockport native is already proving to be a difference-maker.
