Brighton & Hove Albion secured a thrilling 2-1 victory over Manchester City at the Amex Stadium, marking City’s fourth consecutive loss. This defeat is particularly notable as it’s the first time Pep Guardiola has experienced four consecutive losses in his managerial career.
Manchester City, despite their recent struggles with injuries and three consecutive losses prior to this match, initially seemed to have regained their footing. Erling Haaland scored for City in the 23rd minute, capitalizing on a precise pass from Mateo Kovacic. Haaland’s goal, his skillful positioning between Brighton defenders Igor Julio and Jan Paul van Hecke, and his determination to secure the goal despite an initial block from Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, showcased his prowess as a striker.
City continued to apply pressure, with Verbruggen denying Savinho and Haaland with crucial saves. Brighton, however, refused to concede and increased their pressure on City before halftime. A potential penalty was waved off when Josko Gvardiol appeared to block Danny Welbeck’s attempt with his arm.
Brighton’s relentless pursuit of an equalizer paid off in the second half. They launched a determined offensive, testing City’s defense with headers from Jack Hinshelwood and Georginio Rutter, and a near miss from Joao Pedro.
The turning point came in the final minutes of the match. A scramble in the penalty box led to Pedro scoring the equalizer, capitalizing on City’s failure to mark him. Shortly after, in the 83rd minute, Pedro assisted substitute Matt O’Riley, who secured the winning goal with a composed finish. This marked O’Riley’s first goal for Brighton after recovering from an injury that hampered his early months with the team.
Brighton’s victory propelled them into the top four of the Premier League standings. Manchester City, on the other hand, continued to grapple with their recent slump, which has seen them lose to Bournemouth, suffer their first four-game losing streak under Guardiola, and struggle with the absence of key players like Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake due to injuries.
