Sergio Aguero at the double for Manchester City in comfortable victory over Brighton

Manchester City will long remember a 2019 win against Brighton. It is unlikely to be this one, or even their FA Cup semi-final triumph against the Seagulls. After securing the title in Sussex in May, they took a step towards retaining it in a rematch.

Yet even as they eased to victory, there came a moment to threaten their grasp on the silverware. After Kevin de Bruyne’s second-minute goal, before Sergio Aguero’s second successive brace and Bernardo Silva’s immediate impact, Aymeric Laporte was stretchered off. City’s best defender was not required against Brighton, but he could be a loss in stiffer tests.

City’s midfield and forward line compensated amply, aided and abetted by a left-back. Oleksandr Zinchenko played a part in two goals, combining well with David Silva for both. De Bruyne was superb, Aguero typically clinical.

When his second goal flew past Mat Ryan, he had scored with seven consecutive shots on target in the Premier League. He has also found the net in every game this season: six in four games nonetheless feels routine for him.

How Brighton, who carved out a couple of fine chances themselves but which the otherwise impressive Leandro Trossard missed, could have benefited from that cutting edge. Graham Potter had displayed his enterprising streak by switching to a 4-2-3-1 formation. The problem with a change of tactics is when they are rendered redundant before latecomers have taken their seats. Seventy-one seconds into the game, it was hard to describe it as a policy of safety in numbers.

City have the capacity to make the incisive appear easy and sliced through a recalibrated Brighton team. Zinchenko found Silva. He, in turn, De Bruyne, who found the net and, really, it seemed as simple as that.

Much of what followed was the familiar test of possession against organisation. City ought to have doubled their lead sooner, but David Silva was guilty of a dreadful miss. So precise with his passing, his finishing was wayward when he prodded Raheem Sterling’s cross wide. He ought to have used his less favoured right foot.

In contrast, Aguero’s latest double was taken with typical expertise. For his first, the Argentinian powered a shot past Ryan at his near post. The provider, almost inevitably, was De Bruyne. Then, when Zinchenko and David Silva linked up for a second time, he curled a shot into the top corner. City’s other Silva, Bernardo, scored within seconds of his introduction after being teed up by Aguero.

By then, Fernandinho was flourishing as an auxiliary centre-back. Laporte had come and gone, stretchered off after fouling Adam Webster. He was booked but City await news of the real damage.