MANCHESTER — Erling Haaland scored the decisive goal as Manchester City beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. The win kept City firmly in the Premier League title race. Brighton's demanding stretch on the road continued without reward.

City led at half-time through an early goal and controlled possession for long spells. Brighton equalised shortly after the restart, punishing a rare lapse in the home defence. Haaland restored the lead midway through the second half, finishing from close range to claim his latest league goal of the campaign.

The match was the fourth of five successive away fixtures for Brighton. Fabian Hurzeler, the Brighton head coach, had used his pre-match comments to thank the club's travelling supporters for their commitment during the run. Brighton have troubled City in recent seasons, beating them at home and drawing at the Etihad under Hurzeler.

The result left Brighton searching for points before they finally return to the Amex Stadium. Hurzeler's side pressed aggressively and created chances, but they could not find a second equaliser in the closing stages. City saw out the final minutes with the composure that has defined their home form.

The Premier League pauses for the November international break after the following round of fixtures. City will aim to stay ahead of the chasing pack before then. Brighton must recover quickly to protect their place in the European qualification picture.