Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva all struck inside the 2d half as Pep Guardiola's men edged one point beforehand inside the identify race with six video games to head.
Guardiola recalled a number of key players he had not noted for Saturday's 3-2 FA Cup semi-final defeat with the aid of Liverpool, however it took City time to interrupt Brighton's clear up at a worrying Etihad.
The Seagulls had won on the street at Arsenal and Tottenham of their previous two games and pissed off the English champions for the primary forty five mins.
Mahrez bore the brunt of the City aid's nerves as he missed the first-class risk earlier than the break whilst he passed up the possibility to take a brief shot from Robert Sanchez's mishit clearance.
City captain Ruben Dias made his go back from harm after a two-month absence at 1/2-time.
The Portuguese's go back would possibly have come at the best time for Guardiola as John Stones limped off in the 2nd half of simply six days before the first leg in their Champions League semi-final in opposition to Real Madrid.
By the time Stones departed, City had the game gained way to two desires in 12 minutes.
Kevin De Bruyne's driving run through the heart of the Brighton defence teed up Mahrez, who this time did no longer skip up the danger to fit in his 23rd aim of the season.
Any doubt over the final results changed into eliminated once Foden's deflected effort from a corner worked to the brink of the container gave City a two-goal cushion.
