Manchester City got their Premier League title defence back on track with a 2-1 win over Brighton and Hove Albion built on early goals by Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland on Saturday.

City had lost their last two league games — to Wolverhampton and Arsenal — and were looking to avoid three in a row for the first time under Pep Guardiola.

Alvarez put the champions ahead in the seventh minute by turning in a cut-back from Jeremy Doku, who was a danger every time he got the ball on the left wing.

Haaland added a second goal, and his ninth in the league this season, after he latched onto Carlos Baleba’s errant back-pass and smashed a low shot into the net
from just outside the area in the 19th.

Brighton pulled a goal back through Ansu Fati in the 73rd minute.

The visitors had left back Solly March carried off on a stretcher in stoppage
time, during which City defender Manuel Akanji was sent off for picking up a second yellow card.

Newcastle rule

Jacob Murphy scored an early goal and set up two others as Newcastle routed Crystal Palace 4-0.

Murphy’s lob — possibly an intended cross — went over goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and inside the far post in the fourth minute.

Sandro Tonali came on as a second-half substitute for Newcastle. The 23-year-old Italy midfielder is facing a lengthy ban as part of a betting investigation in his home country.

Anthony Gordon, Sean Longstaff and Callum Wilson also netted at St James’ Park as the Magpies extended their unbeaten run in the league to five games — four of them shutout victories.

Newcastle are unbeaten in eight games in all competitions. Palace have won just one of their past five matches.