Chelsea's Marcos Alonso gestures after missing a chance on goal during their English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Chelsea at Selhurst Park stadium in London, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017. Palace won the game 2-1. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Chelsea's Marcos Alonso gestures after missing ... more > By Associated Press - Saturday, October 21, 2023

MANCHESTER, England - Manchester City got its Premier League title defense back on track with a 2-1 win over Brighton built on early goals by Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland on Saturday.

City had lost its last two league games - to Wolverhampton and Arsenal - and was 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.

PHOTOS: Alvarez and Haaland score for Man City in 2-1 win over Brighton in Premier League

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