City beat Brighton to return top | Pep: De Bruyne 'incredibly special'

Manchester City returned to the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 home win over Brighton thanks to three second-half goals.

Liverpool's victory over Manchester United on Tuesday had knocked the champions off the summit, but Pep Guardiola's side responded with victory over the Seagulls to move a point above the Reds with six games to go.

After a frustrating goalless first half, City took the lead in the 53rd minute through Riyad Mahrez whose shot deflected off Joel Veltman and looped over goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.

City's second also came courtesy of a deflection, as Phil Foden's strike from distance (65) went in off a defender to find the bottom corner.

Bernardo Silva curled in a third with eight minutes left to ensure the title race remains in City's hands.

City started the night in second, two points behind Liverpool and were looking to bounce back from Saturday's FA Cup semi-final defeat to Jurgen Klopp's side.

But Guardiola's team faced a Brighton side full of confidence, having won their last two games at Arsenal and Tottenham, as they frustrated City in the first half.

The visitors, though, nearly gifted City the lead as Sanchez's misplaced pass found Mahrez, but Moises Caicedo's fine sliding challenge spared the goalkeeper's blushes.

Such was Brighton's resistance, City were restricted to speculative efforts as Kevin De Bruyne fizzed a 25-yard shot just past the post while Bernardo Silva dug out a curling effort just inside the box that was pushed away by Sanchez.

Guardiola made a substitution at half-time as Ruben Dias made his return after seven weeks out with a hamstring injury, as the Portuguese defender replaced Nathan Ake.

The tension at the Etihad was lifted eight minutes into the second half, when De