Get the biggest City stories, analysis and transfer updates delivered straight to your inbox Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Riyad Mahrez starts in Manchester City's Premier League finale against Brighton. The Algeria winger has not featured in any of City's previous five league games but returns to the side as Kevin De Bruyne is named on the bench. The Blues will retain the title for the first time in their history with victory on the south coast - regardless of the outcome of second-placed Liverpool's game against Wolves. Mahrez for Phil Foden is the one change made by City boss Pep Guardiola from Monday night's 1-0 victory against Leicester at the Etihad, where Kompany's 30-yard strike broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion. Liverpool sit a point behind City but Guardiola says he feels no nerves going into the final day. "I am so happy," he said. "No nerves at all. I was nervous before Liverpool, seven points behind, and we could be 10 points behind. "Not now, no way. I sleep like a little boy. It is a dream, a privilege. I love it. The whole of England will be watching, probably Europe. There is no top four, no relegation issues. "We want to show our game, to our incredible fans coming to support us, dreaming to win the Premier League again. It is a joy to be here in front of you, in front of the players, then Sunday: 'Go out and play like you have done in the last two seasons. Be yourself and whatever happens, it is incredible what you have done.' That’s it." Today's top Manchester City stories<doc-sep>Riyad Mahrez has essentially won the league for Manchester City, the ace has scored a stunning solo goal to give City a 3-1 lead over Brighton. In the 63rd minute of the tie Mahrez picked up the ball outside the box after exchanging some lovely passes with his teammates, the former Leicester star then showed off his silky footwork by sitting down Brighton defender Lewis Dunk with a perfectly timed piece of skill. Mahrez then looked up and fired the ball into the top corner. It’s only right that Mahrez’s goal seals the title for City, the Algerian was slammed after his penalty miss in this season’s draw against Liverpool. Fans believed that moment would stop City from winning the title, but Mahrez has made up for his woes today. Check out the goal below: Pep Guardiola’s side have been fantastic this season and Mahrez’s goal shows that special bit of quality that has only just separated them from a very impressive Liverpool team.<doc-sep>Manchester City's Algerian midfielder Riyad Mahrez (R) scores their third goal during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on May 12, 2019. (AFP Photo/Glyn KIRK ) Paris (AFP) - Algeria winger and 2016 African Footballer of the Year Riyad Mahrez created the second goal and scored the third for Manchester City as they won a second successive Premier League title. He was the stand-out African in Europe at the weekend as star-stacked City triumphed 4-1 at lowly Brighton to pip Liverpool by one point after a thrilling race. A Mahrez corner allowed Aymeric Laporte to nod City into a 2-1 first-half lead and the north African struck the third goal on 63 minutes to put his side firmly on the path to glory. ENGLAND RIYAD MAHREZ (Manchester City) City dominated the second half at Brighton and with 63 minutes gone the 28-year-old Algerian cut in from the wing and unleashed a right-foot shot that gave his club a 3-1 advantage. France-born Mahrez has two Premier League winners medals having been part of the Leicester City side that sensationally became champions three years ago. SADIO MANE (Liverpool) Senegalese Mane scored twice in Liverpool's 2-0 win against Wolves to earn a share of the Premier League's Golden Boot award. The Senegal forward, 27, ended the season with 22 league goals, level with teammate and last year's winner Mohamed Salah of Egypt as Liverpool finished on 97 points, one behind Manchester City. PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG (Arsenal) Arsenal forward Aubameyang grabbed a share of the Premier League Golden Boot award with two goals in a 3-1 win at Burnley on the last day of the season. The Gabon forward's goals meant he finished with 22 in the league -- the same number as Mane and Salah. SPAIN KARL TOKO EKAMBI (Villarreal) Ekambi scored his 18th goal of the season to fire Villarreal to a 1-0 win over Eibar in La Liga. The Cameroon forward struck the winner in the 59th minute for his sixth goal in nine matches. Villarreal's victory leaves them 14th in the table ahead of their last game of the season away to Getafe next weekend. DJENE DAKONAM (Getafe) Getafe's Dakonam scored an own-goal in a 2-0 defeat to Barcelona. The Togolese poked into his own net as Lionel Messi looked to pounce on a one-two with Sergi Roberto at Camp Nou. Arturo Vidal had already put Barca ahead as Getafe slipped out of the top four, with a final game at home to Villarreal to come next weekend. Story continues ITALY MUSA BARROW (Atalanta) Gambian international Barrow broke through immediately after being introduced as a substitute at the break. His first goal this season in a 2-1 win over Genoa put Atalanta third in Serie A and close to a first Champions League qualification. MEHDI BOURABIA (Sassuolo) Moroccan midfielder Bourabia put Sassuolo ahead after 27 minutes against Torino but was sent off immediately after for a second yellow card after celebrating by pulling his jersey over his head, as his side fell to a 3-2 defeat. GERMANY ANTHONY UJAH (Mainz) The Nigerian scored twice in four minutes soon after half-time to give Mainz a 2-0 Bundesliga win at Eintracht Frankfurt, who were beaten on penalties by Chelsea in a Europa League semi-final last Thursday. It was a surprise result as Frankfurt are six places above Mainz and the loss completed a disastrous eight days for Eintracht after a 6-1 drubbing at Bayer Leverkusen last weekend. IHLAS BEBOU (Hanover) Togolese striker Bebou found the net for Hanover against Freiburg, but even a 3-0 win was not enough to save his side from relegation. Bebou prodded the ball in from close range to score Hanover's second as they picked up only a fifth win of the season. SALOMON KALOU (Hertha Berlin) Ivorian veteran Kalou scored an injury-time penalty to snatch a late 4-3 victory for Hertha in an entertaining dead-rubber in Augsburg. Hertha went behind three times, but Kalou equalised after 75 minutes before completing his brace from 12 yards with the last kick of the game. CHADRAC AKOLO (Stuttgart) Democratic Republic of Congo international Akolo made his first appearance since February as Stuttgart secured the relegation play-off place with a 3-0 win over Wolfsburg. The midfielder fell out of favour under former coach Markus Weinzierl, but interim boss Nico Willig welcomed Akolo back into the fold on Saturday. AMADOU HAIDARA (RB Leipzig) The Mali international came off the bench as Leipzig spoiled Bayern Munich's title party with a 0-0 draw. Bayern missed the chance to wrap up a seventh consecutive title as Borussia Dortmund clawed back two points with a win over Fortuna Duesseldorf to send the title race to the wire. NASSIM BOUJELLAB (Schalke) Midfielder Boujellab, who has played for Morocco at under-23 level, set up Guido Burgstaller for Schalke's equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen. Burgstaller's goal saw Leverkusen miss out on the chance to break into the top four and take pole position in the race for Champions League qualification. FRANCE MAXWEL CORNET (Lyon) The Ivorian doubled his meagre league tally for the season with two goals in a 3-0 win at Marseille. Cornet controlled a wayward long-range shot from teammate Houssem Aouar, holding off a pair of defenders to slot home the opening goal on 25 minutes. He then raced clear after another Aouar pass to stroke home Lyon's third late on as they pulled four points clear in the final Champions League qualifying spot.<doc-sep>
Pep Guardiola has explained that Riyad Mahrez' s 'lack of fear' and 'quality' as the reason for his selection in the crucial Premier League decider against Brighton on Sunday afternoon. The selection of Mahrez came as a big surprise for Man City fans as the Algerian has only made two Premier League starts in 2019 - against Watford and Brighton - and hasn't made an appearance in the league since March 4. His last performance in a City shirt came in the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham in the Champions League quarter-final first leg. It's a big call from Guardiola in what couldn't be a bigger game. If City win they will claim their fourth Premier League title and become the first team to retain it since Manchester United a decade ago. However, anything less than all three points will give Liverpool a golden opportunity to win their first league title in 29 years, should they beat Wolves. The selection of Mahrez hasn't done much to calm City fans' nerves, but Guardiola is confident in his player. "His quality, his personality. His lack of fear. His quality," the Blues boss told Sky Sports before the game. "We need good players in small spaces. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the game. We saw in the last games that Brighton defend so, so deep and we need to play in small places. Riyad can do that." “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the game. We’ll start focused and well and we’ll see." Ahead of the nerve-wracking game, Guardiola oozed composure in the interview and insists City will get what they deserve. “One more game. Play a football game, try to do our best and the players will decide what we deserve. “Everybody knows what we’re playing for. One more game. We have to be here. We spoke about who they are and what you have to do to make a good performance. "We started the season on August 12 at Emirates, we finish the season on May 12. It’s been 10 months and we’re here to win the title.”