Algerian international star Riyad Mahrez scored a goal against Brighton and made another, to lead his Manchester City team to regain the top spot in the English Premier League, after its big 3-0 victory over Brighton in a match postponed from the thirtieth round, while Arsenal revived hopes of qualifying for the Champions League by winning 4- 2 on Chelsea in his own home.
Manchester City's balance rose to 77 points, to return to the lead it lost for 24 hours in favor of its direct competitor, Liverpool, who fell again to second place, a point behind the heavenly team, to continue the struggle between them for the title of the competition this season, 6 stages before the end of the championship.
On the other hand, Brighton's balance stopped at 40 points, to remain in the tenth place.
Mahrez opened the scoring for Manchester City in the 53rd minute, before making the second goal scored by his colleague Phil Foden in the 65th minute, to establish himself as the undisputed champion of the match.
Bernardo Silva concluded Manchester City's goals in the match, which took place at the Etihad Stadium, after scoring the third goal in the 82nd minute.
The match started with an expected attack from Manchester City, but without causing the slightest danger to Brighton's goal during the first quarter of the hour.
And the first chance for City to open the scoring came in the 16th minute through Mahrez, who received a wrong pass from the Spaniard Robert Sanchez, Brighton goalkeeper, but he slowed down in shooting the ball towards the empty net, so the defense removed the ball from in front of him in a timely manner.
Over time, Manchester City accelerated its rhythm, and surrounded the Brighton players in their penalty area, where multiple cross passes from the heavenly team, but ineffective, while Joao Cancelo fired a shell from outside the area in the 23rd minute, which went into a goal kick.
Kevin De Bruyne threatened Brighton's goal for the first time in the match in the 26th minute, when he shot from outside the area, but the ball passed right next to the right post, while Sanchez saved a shot from inside the area by Bernardo Silva in the 28th minute.
Ilkay Gundogan almost opened the scoring for Manchester City in the 38th minute, as he shot from inside the area, but the ground split from Louis Dink, who saved the ball that was on its way towards the goal.
Brighton gave up his defensive caution in the remaining minutes of the first half, but his attacks against Manchester City did not live up to the level of danger, so the half ended with a goalless draw.
The second half began with a sweeping attack by Manchester City, who resorted to long-range shots in front of Brighton's good defensive positioning. Joao Cancelo fired a rocket kick from outside the area in the 50th minute, but it collided in the defense to go out to a corner, which almost resulted in the goal of progress.
De Bruyne took the corner kick, passing the ball to Rodri, who shot directly from inside the area, but the ball hit one of the defenders before it went out for another corner that resulted in nothing.
And the 53rd minute bore the good news for City, after Riyad Mahrez scored a goal for the heavenly team. netting.
Mahrez gives Manchester City the lead against Brighton # Premier League # Manchester City Brighton # beinpl pic.twitter.com/rHdxJiwazP
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) April 20, 2022
From the first dangerous opportunity for Brighton, Danny Welbeck almost scored the equalizer in the 57th minute, as he followed a corner kick from the left side, to hit a header, but the ball went to the arms of the Brazilian Ederson Moraish, City goalkeeper.
The host team responded with a quick attack in the 61st minute, which ended with a shot from De Bruyne, which Sanchez had on the lookout, before Phil Foden added the second goal for Manchester City in the 65th minute.
Foden received a corner kick taken by Mahrez from the right side, to shoot a crawling shell from outside the area, hitting the ball in the defense and changing its direction, to go to the right of Sanchez, who threw the other side.
City dominated the match, to take advantage of Brighton's surrender to the loss, scoring the third goal through Bernardo Silva in the 82nd minute.
Oleksandr Zinchenko took advantage of a wrong pass from Robert Sanchez, to pass the ball from the left side to De Bruyne, who sent the ball with a magic touch to Silva, to hit the Portuguese player directly from inside the area, putting the ball to the left of the Brighton goalkeeper, who tried unsuccessfully to enter his net, The match ended with a deserved victory for Manchester City 3-0 over Brighton.
Arsenal revives hopes of qualifying for the European Champions
In another match, Arsenal beat Chelsea 4-2 to revive hopes of qualifying for the Champions League by continuing to pursue its London neighbor, Tottenham.
Arsenal advanced twice in the exciting first half at Stamford Bridge - Chelsea's stronghold - through Nketiah, who took advantage of a wrong pass from Andreas Christensen and Emil Smith-Roe, while Chelsea tied both times by Timo Werner and Cesar Azpilicueta.
Nketiah restored Arsenal's lead in the 57th minute after a defensive confusion from Thiago Silva and Malang Sar, making the score 3-2, as he touched the ball into the goal from close range.
Bukayo Saka concluded the goals with a penalty kick he got himself after being fouled by Azpilicueta.
Arsenal is in fifth place with 57 points, only behind Tottenham Hotspur, fourth in the standings.
Chelsea remained third with 62 points, but played one game less than Tottenham and Arsenal, and is still on its way to qualifying for the Champions League next season.