Liverpool had temporarily jumped to the top after their 4-0 win over Manchester United on Tuesday, and City struggled in the first half at the Etihad Stadium with Brighton relying on an organized defence.
Liverpool were 14 points behind the lead in January, but they returned strongly to the title race after winning 11 times in the last 12 league matches.
However, Liverpool’s hopes of staying on top this week ended after City entered the second half much better and Algerian Mahrez opened the goals after a defensive confusion in the 53rd minute.
The goal eliminated the tension of City, and then added the second goal after another 12 minutes, after a shot switched from Foden from outside the penalty area.
With Brighton retreating, Silva scored the third goal to ensure the victory of Pep Guardiola’s team, raising his score to 77 points from 32 games, one point behind second-placed Liverpool, and the team appears to be on its way to winning its fourth title in five years.
“We had to win 14 games in a row to win the title before that,” Guardiola said.
“Now we are mathematically guaranteeing qualification for the Champions League (next season). Now we know what to do,” he added.
City were a strong candidate before the match to win, as Brighton lost eight times in the last nine matches against City, during which they conceded 27 goals.
But Brighton went to Manchester after beating Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the last two rounds, and achieved two victories away from home.
As he did in the previous two rounds, Brighton relied on the convergence of distances during the defense, and City’s attempts were limited to long-range shooting.
Mahrez missed the most dangerous opportunity in the first half, as he slowed down for a long time after goalkeeper Robert Sanchez advanced from his goal.
But regardless of what Guardiola said between the two halves, the team’s shape changed quickly and Kevin De Bruyne took the ball before it reached Mahrez and shot inside the goal from inside the area.
This is Mahrez’s 23rd goal in all competitions this season, and no player in the English Premier League has scored more than him except Mohamed Salah, with 30 goals.
Foden was lucky in the second goal after the shot was switched direction and entered Brighton’s goal, while Silva finished the goals eight minutes before the end.
“You have to be perfect to get anything out of here from the game, and we weren’t,” Brighton coach Graham Potter said.
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