I saw Man City discover perfect Plan B without Erling Haaland - before Pep Guardiola proved me wrong

Sat high at the back of the third tier at the Amex Stadium, it was difficult to get an accurate perspective of how Manchester City were playing against Brighton on Thursday. Normally, to be closer to the pitch allows you to see how players are reacting, what Pep Guardiola is doing on the touchline.

But that was impossible at the Amex, with a far clearer view of the roof trusses than anything the City players were saying to each other, with MEN Sport sent to the overflow section of the press facilities to sit as far as it is physically possible to be from the pitch at Brighton.

However, such a bird's-eye view did provide one clear advantage, as the fluid nature of City's formation was obvious as if this was a tactical view on Football Manager. It almost made all the steps worthwhile.

ALSO READ: Man City player ratings vs Brighton as De Bruyne and Foden brilliant

ALSO READ: Pep Guardiola's ruthless call after Phil Foden goal kills Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool dream for good

From up in the gods, you could see how Nathan Ake was, at times, a one-man defensive line as Kyle Walker bombed forward on the right, Manu Akanji joined Rodri in the middle, and Josko Gvardiol moved up on the left. And you could see that when Brighton regained possession, those three reverted to a definitive back four in the blink of an eye.

You could see Kyle Walker often as City's furthest man forward, stretching the defence to the touchline and always looking for that long Ederson pass that he loves against Brighton. It resulted in another goal against the Seagulls in the second half.

For all of City's versatility and fluidity, their tactical discipline is incredible. Bernardo Silva drifted on the inside right channel between the centre-back and