Manchester City have broken several Premier League records thanks to their 3-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Citizens' routine victory over the Seagulls has edged them to 97 points, breaking the record of 95 points set by Chelsea at the end of the 2004-05 campaign.
In addition, the champions have won 31 league games this term and scored 105 goals, overtaking the relevant records set by the Blues in 2017 and 2010 respectively.
The game was also a special occasion for the departing Yaya Toure, who was named in the starting XI and given the captain's armband in his final appearance for the team on home turf.
Here is how Sports Mole covered the action at the Etihad.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of this evening's Premier League clash between Manchester City and Brighton & Hove Albion!
The season is coming to an end and, on the surface, both these sides have little to play for - Man City are champions, Brighton safe in the top flight. But the Citizens will have their eyes on a number of Premier League records which are there for the breaking, while the Seagulls could yet finish in the top half of the table.
Without further ado, let's bring you the team news from the Etihad Stadium.
MAN CITY STARTING XI: Bravo, Danilo, Kompany, Laporte, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Toure, Gundogan, Bernardo, Sane, Jesus
BRIGHTON STARTING XI: Ryan, Bruno, Dunk, Duffy, Bong, Knockaert, Stephens, Propper, Izquierdo, Gross, Ulloa
MAN CITY SUBS: Ederson, Adarabioyo, Mendy, Nmecha, Diaz, De Bruyne, Foden
BRIGHTON SUBS: Krul, Schelotto, Goldson, March, Kayal, Locadia, Murray
With the title already wrapped up, Pep Guardiola opts for widescale changes to his starting XI. The Catalan has made eight alterations to the side that drew with Huddersfield Town on Sunday, with only Fernandinho, Leroy Sane and Gabriel Jesus retaining their starting spots.
As expected, Yaya Toure comes into the starting line-up and is given the captain's armband for his final home appearance in a City shirt, the Ivorian set to call time on his eight-year tenure at the club at the end of the season.
Regular starters Kevin De Bruyne and Ederson are on the bench, while Raheem Sterling out of the squad entirely. Regular captain Vincent Kompany was left out for Sunday's clash with Huddersfield with a minor knock but is fit again and named in the City back line.
As for Brighton, Chris Hughton makes just one change following their survival-clinching 1-0 victory over Manchester United last week, with Leonardo Ulloa leading the line in place of Glenn Murray.
Indeed, the Seagulls have a virtually clean bill of health, with only midfielder Steve Sidwell, who has not featured all season, still on the sidelines.
Man City have earmarked this evening's fixture as an occasion to celebrate Toure's career. Guardiola has paid tribute to the departing midfielder, telling reporters ahead of kickoff: "Without doubt he was, and is, one of the most important players in the whole history of this club. We will try and play for him and win for him. Yaya is part of the club, not just because of the trophies he has won but because he transmitted to everyone the club can be bigger and greater. I wish him well. His desire is to stay playing and he can do a job in the Premier League for another club next season. He will decide what is best for him."
Indeed, City's Twitter page is eagerly paying tribute to one of the club's most crucial and decorated players of all time.
Captain 💙 pic.twitter.com/3R5nDuHnhI — Manchester City (@ManCity) May 9, 2018
Hero 💙 pic.twitter.com/KkCujaM2Ar — Manchester City (@ManCity) May 9, 2018
King 💙 pic.twitter.com/HfU7mFzXFZ — Manchester City (@ManCity) May 9, 2018
As well as paying tribute to Toure, there is also the chance for City to rewrite the record books. Victory this evening would set a new record for highest number of points in a single top-flight season in England, at 97 - the current record is 95 by Chelsea in 2004-05.
Also, the current record for most top-flight wins in a season is 30, held by Chelsea's class of 2016-17 and Man City's current crop, so that could be broken tonight, while the record for most goals in one season is 103, held by Chelsea's class of 2009-10, and City are currently on 102 with two games to go.
There will be an air of celebration in the away stands as well, with Brighton and their fans safe in the knowledge that they will be playing in the top flight next season. The Seagulls sealed survival in style as they ran out 1-0 winners over none other than City's bitter rivals Manchester United last week.
There are only three teams that can still claim the final relegation spot - Swansea City, who are currently in 18th place and are the favourites for the drop, Huddersfield Town, and Southampton. So the Brighton fans will enjoy seeing what their side can do against the champions in a relatively pressure-free fixture.
Also, given that 10th-placed Newcastle United are just a point ahead of Brighton with both sides still having two games left to play, there is still the possibility that the South Coast side could finish their debut Premier League season in the top ten, which would be quite a feat.
Speaking to the press ahead of tonight's game, Chris Hughton praised Huddersfield for getting a point at the Etihad last weekend and is looking for something similar from his charges tonight.
Hughton said: "Huddersfield showed what you have to do to have any chance of getting anything. We've managed to get some good results against the top six at home and make games as close as possible - at Tottenham away and Chelsea away, for long periods we were very much in the game. This is our challenge and I want to be as good as we can in these [two remaining] games."
HEAD TO HEAD: What is the history surrounding this particular fixture? Well, tonight's game is the first time that Man City have hosted Brighton in a league match since a 2-1 win in the second tier in September 1988.
Slightly ominous news for the visitors - Brighton have never won a league match away to City, drawing twice and losing the other five games. Can this change tonight?
Brighton's two top-flight victories in this fixture both came at home: 4-1 in December 1979, and again in October 1981.
Form-wise, it's hard to believe that we were talking about Man City in crisis just four/five weeks ago. The two Champions League defeats to Liverpool, either side of the collapse against Man United, led to much derision from opposition fans, but Guardiola's charges have since got back to their destructive best, winning their next three games - against Spurs, Swansea and West Ham - and scoring 12 goals in the process, before stumbling against Huddersfield last time out.
As for Brighton, their home win over Manchester United at the weekend was a much-needed tonic, ending a six-match run without a victory, and they are striving to record three consecutive clean sheets in the top flight for the first time since January 1982.
More worryingly, however, the Seagulls have gone 11 Premier League away matches without a win since beating Swansea on November 4, and have lost all four of their away games against the top six clubs without scoring a goal.
Not long until kickoff now, with the last few touches having been applied to the pre-match warm-ups, including the odd cheeky nutmeg...
Sorry, @lukasnmecha 🙈 pic.twitter.com/c9mOQqKT4m — Manchester City (@ManCity) May 9, 2018
SCORE PREDICTION: With just minutes before we get underway, it's time for me to have a go at predicting the result. In my humble opinion, City's class will come through, not to mention the players wanting to break records, while the prospect of finishing a bit higher in the table may not be quite the same incentive for Brighton, who have done superbly to secure safety with two games to go, but I think it'll be a City masterclass tonight and a 3-0 win for the hosts.
Yaya Toure, captaining Man City tonight, leads his charges through their latest guard of honour as a huge flag in his honour is unveiled.
KICKOFF! We're underway at the Etihad, Man City rocking their new home kit for the 2018-19 season, while Brighton, who kick off, line up in all yellow! Paul Tierney is the man in the middle.
An early foray from City as a low ball is sent into the box by Silva and a scramble ensues, but the visitors manage to clear.
Now Zinchenko seeks to launch a long ball over the top for Sane, but it goes straight out for a goal kick. The hosts asking the questions early on here tonight.
Yet more pressure from the Citizens as first Silva makes headway down the right and whips a cross into the box which is cleared by Dunk, and then Sane breaks down the left and delivers a low ball which Duffy cuts out.
It's all been City so far with around 80% of possession, though they're yet to register a concrete chance against Brighton.
CHANCE! Silva releases Fernandinho down the right, who in turn cuts the ball back towards centre where Gundogan is on hand to have a shot, but despite connecting well, Duffy gets in his way and charges the effort down!
CHANCE! At the other end, Knockaert gets the better of Zinchenko in the air and, after a one-two with Ulloa, decides to have a pop from 25 yards out, and the effort is only just wide of Bravo's left-hand post!
CHANCE! Now City threaten once again as Gundogan breaks in from the left and tries to curl the ball into the bottom corner, but it's just wide of the post!
GOAL! MAN CITY 1-0 BRIGHTON (DANILO)
We have the breakthrough at the Etihad and it goes the way of City! A swift counterattack sees Sane surge forward from his own half before feeding the ball through to Danilo, who picks up the pass inside the box and quickly lashes home into the bottom-left corner of the net!
Real striker's finish from the right-back and a superb run from Sane to slice through the Brighton defence. City looking dangerous every time they go forward.
GOAL! MAN CITY 1-1 BRIGHTON (LEONARDO ULLOA)
But at the back, City are found wanting, and Brighton nab a quick equaliser! Knockaert releases Propper into the right inside channel and, with Bravo coming off his line, the Dutchman lofts a cross towards the back post, where Ulloa is able to head home!
City, rattled by the quick equaliser - and by Bravo's decision to stray so far off his line - go forward again as Fernandinho sends Gundogan into the box, but the latter's low cross can't find a teammate.
We're approaching the half-hour mark and City continue to boss possession, currently at 77% in their favour, but it's all square due to Bravo's error.
CHANCE! Gundogan picks up Zinchenko's ball, makes some space for himself and has a go from the edge of the box, but his effort sails high over the crossbar.
CHANCE! Toure, who is urged to shoot by the City faithful every time he gets the ball in the final third, whips a cross in from the right which finds Jesus towards the near post, but the Brazilian's effort bundles into the side netting.
CHANCE! City keep coming forward as Laporte bears down towards goal with the opposition defenders holding off him before deciding to have a shot, it's a cleanly hit strike but Duffy diverts it behind for a corner.
Brighton survive the corner and are able to go up the other end, with Bruno advancing and sending a low cross into the box, but none of his teammates are there to get a touch and the ball is subsequently cleared.
CHANCE! But here come City again as Sane slaloms his way into the box from the left flank, before drilling his strike straight at Ryan.
GOAL! MAN CITY 2-1 BRIGHTON (BERNARDO SILVA)
City's pressure finally pays off as they retake the lead! Sane's heavily involved once again as his great work down the left culminates in a cross which finds Silva in the middle, who in turn takes a touch and rattles a half-volley past Ryan and into the bottom corner!
BOOKING: Duffy is shown a yellow card for an aerial foul on Bravo.
As well as retaking the lead, Silva's goal puts City into the record books - they're now on 104 league goals for the season, beating Chelsea's tally of 103 from eight years ago!
We've had a bit of a lull in the last few minutes compared to the frantic pace earlier in the half and now there's a stoppage in play as Jesus goes down clutching his ankle after a clumsy challenge from Ulloa, which will see the physios take to the pitch.
Luckily, Jesus is able to rise again and looks like he should be fine to continue.
We'll have two minutes of added time here at the Etihad and the pace has slowed right down, both sides look happy enough to just see the opening half out and take to the dressing rooms.
HALF TIME: MAN CITY 2-1 BRIGHTON
Mr Tierney blows his whistle and that's a wrap for the first half, with Man City very much dominating proceedings against Brighton but, thanks to the latest addition to Claudio Bravo's catalogue of errors, being just one goal ahead at the break.
The deadlock was broken on 16 minutes through Danilo, who delivered a superb finish from Leroy Sane's pass on the counter, but Brighton equalised four minutes later when Bravo surged off his line to attempt to thwart the incoming Davy Propper, who instead lofted the ball into the path of Leonardo Ulloa, who duly headed into the empty net.
Ultimately, City's quality showed as they peppered the opposition area with forays and attacks, culminating in Bernardo Silva's 35th-minute half-volley, with Sane heavily involved once again in the build-up, and as well as putting Pep Guardiola's side back in front, it broke Chelsea's eight-year record of most goals scored in a single Premier League season.
Elsewhere in the league, we have a couple of coupon busters going on... Huddersfield currently have a 1-0 lead at Chelsea, while Leicester City are also 1-0 up at home to Arsenal!
Let's have a look at some of the stats from the first half - Man City boast 74% possession, nine shots overall (three on target), and a total of 439 passes made, while Brighton had just 26% possession, one shot on target and one off target, and 154 passes made.
We're nearing the start of the second half - how will things pan out? Will City go on to claim all three points, or will Brighton spring a surprise at the Etihad? Sports Mole is on hand to bring you all the match action as it happens!
KICKOFF: We're back underway at the Etihad, just 45 minutes left of Man City's home campaign. No changes to report from either side.
A rather slow start to the second half as Gundogan looks to break into the Brighton box, but the yellow-shirted back line crowds him out.
City with the bulk of possession so far but Gross runs in behind Zinchenko at the other end, although the Brighton man is halted for what appears to be an unjust offside call.
Sane continues to be a huge thorn in the visitors' side as he makes yet another run down the left flank before whipping the ball towards the back post, where Dunk is on hand to clear ahead of Jesus.
Brighton continue to invite pressure against City, who in turn are relentless in their forward forays as Sane once again makes his way down the left, only for Bruno to make a key intervention.
CHANCE! Laporte plays a pass into the path of Fernandinho, who turns and lets rip with a snapshot from close range, but Ryan is equal to it!
CHANCE! Bravo makes yet another blunder, spilling Izquierdo's shot in the box, and Kompany cannot clear the danger before the ball falls to Knockaert with the goal gaping, but the Frenchman somehow blazes over!
CHANCE! City launch another attack as Fernandinho floats a ball over the top of the Brighton defence which falls nicely for the incoming Jesus, but the subsequent header goes wide of the post.
To their credit, Brighton have remained tight at the back in this half in the face of constant City pressure, so they're still very much in the game.
Silva attempts to fire a low ball across the face of goal, but Dunk puts it out for a corner, which is delivered by Silva and half-cleared by Brighton before Danilo blasts over on the follow-up.
City win a free kick around 40 yards from goal, which Gundogan whips into the area intending to find Toure, but it has too much weight behind it and it goes out for a goal kick.
Knockaert, seeking to make amends for his shocking miss earlier on, breaks down the left and wins a corner off Zinchenko, but the hosts are able to repel the delivery with ease.
Brighton probe forward once again as Ulloa flicks the ball on in hope of finding Gross in the area, but Bravo is off his line to claim.
GOAL! MAN CITY 3-1 BRIGHTON (FERNANDINHO)
That's goal number three for City and probably game over in terms of the outcome of this game! That's also a hat-trick of assists for Sane, whose cutback from the corner landed nicely into the path of Fernandinho in the centre, the Brazilian firing first time on his left foot and finding the bottom corner of the net!
SUBSTITUTIONS: Two changes made by the visitors as Kayal and Locadia replace Gross and Ulloa.
SUBSTITUTION: Now we have a change from the home side, Mendy entering the action in place of Zinchenko.
Locadia latches on to a ball over the top in a promising position, but Laporte puts a stop to the danger with a well-timed tackle.
SUBSTITUTION: Hughton makes his third and final change of the night as March comes on for Izquierdo.
We're into the final 10 minutes here at the Etihad and, as has been the case for much of the season, City have dominated proceedings, boasting a massive 73% of possession and weighing in with 14 shots, seven of which were on target.
CHANCE! Everyone in the home contingent tonight wants Toure to get a goal on his last home game in the light blue shirt and Sane does his best to set up his teammate following yet more sterling work down the left, but the Ivorian's effort is bread and butter for Ryan.
At the other end, Locadia tries his luck from distance, but the effort sails well over the City bar.
SUBSTITUTION: City make their second change of the night as Jesus makes way for Diaz.
SUBSTITUTION: Yaya Toure, the man of the moment, is given a standing ovation from the Etihad faithful as his final home game in a City shirt comes to an end. Nmecha replaces the Ivorian.
CHANCE! Toure's exit was an emotional moment but City waste no time in getting back to business as Mendy picks out Diaz with a pinpoint ball from the left, only for Dunk to charge down the ensuing effort.
CHANCE! City win a free kick just outside the box, which Danilo opts to take, and does superbly to beat the wall, only for the ball to ricochet off the bar!
The officials have signalled three minutes of added time, with City intent on getting another goal as they keep piling men forward.
FULL TIME: MAN CITY 3-1 BRIGHTON
Paul Tierney blows his whistle and a game emotional and record-breaking in equal measure comes to an end as Man City run out 3-1 winners over Brighton at the Etihad.
Goals from Danilo, Bernardo Silva and Bernandinho have helped the Citizens break the record for most points in a single PL season, as well as that of most goals scored, and Pep Guardiola's charges remain in the hunt for a remarkable triple-digit point haul as they currently sit on 97 points with one game left.
Yaya Toure, one of the pioneers of the current City era, also played his final game on home turf and although he couldn't get onto the scoresheet, he was nonetheless superb in the middle of the park and the ovation from the crowd and hugs from teammates upon his substitution are testament to his standing in the blue half of Manchester.
That's all we've got time for here at the Etihad but stick around as Sports Mole is on hand to bring you match reports, reaction from tonight's Premier League games, and all the biggest news from the world of football. Thank you for following me and, until next time, goodbye!
