Manchester City lose again
Brighton & Hove Albion 2 - 1 Manchester City
Pep Guardiola endured a fourth consecutive defeat for the first time in his Manchester City tenure, as Brighton staged a comeback to overcome the Premier League champions.
It marks City’s first run of four successive losses since 2006.
City looked set to break their losing streak when Erling Haaland found the net in the 23rd minute at the Amex Stadium, finishing on his second attempt from Mateo Kovacic's pass in a promising start.
Brighton, however, kept their composure and gained control after the interval. Poor finishing prevented them from equalising earlier, but substitute Joao Pedro eventually struck amidst a goalmouth scramble 12 minutes from time.
City, showing signs of vulnerability, were soon under immense pressure. Brighton claimed a deserved lead when Matt O'Riley, recently returned from injury since joining from Celtic, sliced through City’s exposed defence and slotted past Ederson just five minutes later.
The Seagulls’ persistence paid off after several missed opportunities, including a close-range header from Jack Hinshelwood saved by Ederson, and a missed chance by Georginio Rutter, as City crumbled under Brighton's relentless pressure.
Another awful second half from City - Macca's view
That was one of the worst halves of football I’ve seen from a Pep Guardiola team. They were terrible; they didn’t defend, they lost individual battles and struggled to pass the ball forward. In the first half, they played excellently, but in the second half, after Hurzeler made substitutions, it became clear that only one team was destined to win.
That said, they have come back from worst positions in previous years and still managed to win the title. City have so many world-class players and they can win 10 matches in a row. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the league responds when they hit that run of form.
Brighton are the real deal
Brighton’s young manager, Fabian Hurzeler, encouraged his players to adopt a fearless mentality, urging them to fully believe they could win against Manchester City. Although it took some time, the team ultimately embraced his directive.
At just 31 years old, he has effectively carried on the positive momentum established by his predecessors, Graham Potter and Roberto de Zerbi. His charismatic presence has resonated with Seagulls supporters, further enhancing their connection with the team.
