Guardiola admits City still feeling the effects of Treble win

TREBLE EFFECTS: Pep Guardiola admits his side still feeling the effects of winning the Treble.

PREMIER LEAGUE

MANCHESTER CITY 2 (Àlvarez 7', Haaland 19')

BRIGHTON 1 (Fati 73')

Pep Guardiola admits he and his Manchester City stars are still feeling the effects of winning the treble despite reclaiming top spot in the Premier League and setting yet another record.

City started brightly and looked as if they might blitz Brighton but faded and in the end were just relieved to just get over the line with 10 players after Manuel Akjani was sent off in added time for a second caution.

It was their 21st consecutive home win in all competitions - the best home run by a team in the Premier League era - and took them back to the top on goal difference from Arsenal.

But Guardiola knows his team is not firing on all cylinders and is quite happy for them to tick along, remain in contention in the Premier League and qualify for the Champions League knock-out stages in the first half of the season, before reaching peak form at the business end of the campaign.

He said: "The treble has a lot of influence on all of us, me included. No-one has won four Premier League titles in a row and that shows how difficult it is.

"We just need to be there close to our opponents when we arrive in the decisive moments of the season and try [to win the title) again.

"At the moment it is all about being there [in contention] especially in the Champions League where we have to make sure we qualify for the next round. We have two games, away and at home, against Young Boys when we can do it. That is the [immediate] target. Then we can focus totally on the Premier League.

"We cannot deny that after two defeats it was really important to break that run, especially against opponents who have caused problems for many teams. Brighton have real quality."

Jack Grealish is one of the players who appears to be suffering from something of a 'hangover' after the treble. He has lost his place to new boy Jeremy Doku and could struggle to get it back if the Belgium winger continues to terrorise defences the way he did against Brighton.

Guardiola has spoken to Grealish to re-assure him he will play his part as the season unfolds with the player no doubt having one eye on securing his place in the England squad for next summer's European Championship finals in Germany.

"We couldn't have won the treble without Jack," he added. "I spoke a few times with him and said step by step we’re going to get to the best form and rhythm and help him to sustain it. The season is long and we need him.

"I have doubts that Jeremy can sustain playing games every three days. He's an exceptional winger. He’s smart, intuitive to get the ball and has the quality to deliver a decisive pass as he did for the first goal. I’m really pleased with his impact since he arrived. Jack does not have his speed in one-on-one situations but is more controlled and provides many assists."

Doku set up Julian Alvarez for City's seventh minute opener and he gave James Milner such a torrid time the 37-year-old former City and Liverpool player was replaced at half-time.

By then Erling Haaland had ended his three-game drought with his ninth goal of the season and City looked set to sentence Brighton to another heavy away-day defeat after the 6-1 thrashing at Aston Villa.

But the Seagulls improved in the second half with substitute Ansu Fati pulling a goal back in the 73rd minute to set up a tense finish when City were hanging on, especially when Akanji picked up his second yellow card.

Brighton's early-season optimism is starting to subside. They have now won only one of their last seven games in all competitions, only the bottom three clubs have conceded more goals and their injury problems are mounting.

Solly March likely to be ruled out for months after suffering a serious knee injury towards the end of the game while Danny Welbeck came off early on with a muscle injury.

It left manager Roberto De Zerbi admitting he does not have a big enough squad to cope with the added burden of the Europa League this season and the international call-ups of players like the Republic of Ireland's Evan Ferguson, who replaced Welbeck.

They face Ajax on Thursday needing a win to keep alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages but March and Welbeck have joined an injury list that already includes Tariq Lamptey, Pervis Estupinan and Julio Enciso.

"We are playing a different sport this season," said De Zerbi. "We are not used to playing so many games. It was a big credit to us to qualify for the Europa League but I don't think we are ready to compete in this competition.

"We need more players. We are losing too many players and we can't afford to lose any more. We all have to improve and adapt."

Man City (4-2-3-1): Ortega 7; Walker 7, Stones 8 (Dias 74, 5), Akanji 7 (Ake 90), Gvardiol 7; Silva 7, Rodri 7; Foden 8, Álvarez 7, Doku 8 (Grealish 74, 6); Haaland 7.

Subs not used: Phillips, Kovacic, Gómez, Nunes, Ederson, Lewis.

Goals: Alvarez 7, Haaland 19.

Sent off: Akanji.

Booked: Rodri, Akanji, Grealish.

Brighton (4-2-3-1): Steele 6; Milner 5 (Veltman 46, 6), Dunk 7, Julio 6, March 5 (Van Hecke 90); Baleba 5 (Gilmour 65,6), Gross 6; Adingra 5, Welbeck 4 (Ferguson 16, 6), Mitoma 7; Pedro 6 (Fati 65, 7).

Subs not used: Verbruggen, Webster, Dahoud, Lallana.

Goal: Fati 73.

Booked: March, Julio.

Referee: Robert Jones 7.