Man City player ratings vs Brighton as Foden and Haaland good

Manchester City returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Brighton on Saturday.

Julian Alvarez gave the Blues the lead after just a few minutes as he swept home following an excellent Jeremy Doku run. Erling Haaland then doubled the lead with an emphatic finish from outside of the area.

Everything looked rosy for City but Brighton came out battling in the second half and had plenty of chances to score before Ansu Fati finally pulled one back. The Seagulls continued to hunt for a leveller and were galvanised further when Manuel Akanji was sent off late on for a second yellow card.

But Pep Guardiola's side held on for an important win. Here are the ratings:

Ortega: Did well to block Mitoma through on goal in the second half but his kicking was ropey, putting City under pressure. 6

Walker : Keeping Mitoma quiet proved tricky, even if he was probably the best man for the job. 6

Stones : A way off his best, although that is still decent. Added a composure to the team that has been missing. 7

Akanji: Played Gross onside for Brighton's best chance and was also booked to mean he had to be more cautious, so the second yellow was soft but he had no excuse. 4

Gvardiol : K ept his side tidy and pushed up when he could, building those partnerships with the attack. 7

Rodri : His decision-making kept City cool, although he got another stupid yellow card and then risked further punishment by arguing it. 7

Foden : City's best player, coasting through the midfield and pinging passes to all areas of the pitch. 8

Alvarez : Another goal to add to his impressive season, although he struggled to stay in the game after his early strike. 6

Silva : Another all-action performance covering more of the pitch than