Brighton came into this one off the back of a 6-0 away victory in the second round of the league cup in midweek as the away side will be travelling down to the south coast looking to return to winning ways after a lunchtime kick off at the Etihad a week prior seen spurs leave with all 3 points.
8 changes had followed the home side after a triumphant away day at the Kassam, just the 4 for the away side which sees Rodri make his first league start since September 2024, and Cherki out of the matchday squad due to injury.
The visitors got us underway on a sunny afternoon on the south coast, with early spells of possession from the visitors Brighton dealt with the pressure early. It wasn’t until the 9th minute into the first real clear cut chance took place and it was city’s number 9 Erling Haaland with the first shot which saw him played through almost one on one into Verbruggen saw his shot scuffed low and straight at the Dutch shot stopper.
The first booking given out by Darren England was in the 15th minute to Van Hecke following a challenge on a city player.
The first chance for the home side on 18 minutes seen Minteh win the ball deep in his own half who played the ball nicely into Welbeck who then poked it through the gaps to play Mitoma through on goal which sees Trafford tested for the first time this afternoon, the resulting corner fizzled out into nothing.
It wasn’t until the 24th minute until the away side struck again a neat move through the spine of Albion saw Rodri flick it into Haaland who fired wide.
A minute later the best chance of the game arrived a ball played out from the left landed perfectly onto the head of Cirts number nine and the Brighton keeper had his first bit of action to properly deal with, still remaining goalless on 25 minutes.
A corner on 28 minutes for City saw a follow up shot fired well over.
Half an Hour in and both sides still locked at 0-0
GOAL - Erling Haaland 33’
It was the man who caused the most issues in the opening half hour it was Marmoush with the assist who poked it through to him in the box and City’s number nine shot past Verbruggen to score the opener.
It was mostly one way city traffic prior to the goal and it seemed that way following the opener at the Amex too, the home side struggling to break down any spells on the ball city were having. This was certainly seeing City back to their best following that defeat last weekend.
Edging towards half time and Brighton have had little to write home about and the biggest concern was to ensure city weren’t able to double their lead heading into the interval.
On 42 minutes that almost became a reality, Haaland metres away from pressing down Verbruggen to double his tally for the afternoon and his sides lead.
3 minutes of added time wrapped up the first half, as City insisted to continue to play out the back similarly to how they conceded both goals against spurs a week prior.
HALF TIME BHA 0-1 MCI
The second half got underway from the home side looking to massively improve on the last 25 minutes of the first half which seen mostly one way traffic from City. No changes to note off at the start of the second half either.
First half chance to begin the half on 48 minutes from Marmoush struck safely into the hands of Verbruggen.
Not much to write home about in the opening stages of the second half as both sides figuring each other out once more, City still remain on top and a goal ahead on 52 minutes.
City’s skipper committing a foul outside of his own box giving the home side their first real chance in the second half on 54 minutes, the resulting free kick resulted in a goal kick for City.
A minute later Gomez venting his frustrations chasing down the ball in the process pulling city's last man to the ground resulting in a free kick in the other direction.
Good individual work from Oscar Bobb in the Brighton box with an Albion player on the deck, eventually the City youngster lost possession, still over half an hour to go in this one.
A lot of this City domination has come through Rodri who in recent games hasn’t been ever present but certainly giving city a good cause to their lead towards the hour mark here in East Sussex.
Another chance goes amiss prior to Brighton subs who fires wide across the area.
60MINS OFF - Gomez, Hinshelwood, Welbeck and Baleba.
60MINS ON - Milner, Gruda, Ayari and Rutter.
CLOSE! not long after the subs Albions best chance of the game a strike which saw Trafford having to put it wide for a corner in which nothing came of it, these subs really sparking life into the seagulls on 63minutes.
Card shown here to Khusanov after a reckless challenge on Rutter, 64 minutes played.
PENALTY BRIGHTON, the resulting free kick off the Khusanov challenge sees Nunes make contact with the ball with the elbow, James Milner against one of his former clubs the one to step up after Welbeck was brought off minutes ago who missed last week at Everton.
GOAL BRIGHTON - James Milner equalises the game in 67 minutes, a lovely taken penalty into the bottom left corner, sending Trafford the wrong way, the seagulls in full voice here!
We’ve certainly got a game on our hands now with the best part of 20minutes to go.
Rutter brought down again here this time by Ait nouri, another yellow card, will this one result in a penalty too? Resulting free kick straight out for a goal kick.
SO CLOSE! Lovely individual skill from Minteh has his shot inches wide from the post.
SUBS 72 OFF - Bernardo Silva, Marmoush
SUBS 72 ON - Doku, O’reilly
This game has turned on its head City can’t contain Albion.
Milner celebrating following on from his penalty.
Yellow for Veltman for a foul committed first of the season for the seasoned Dutch man.
Both sides still searching for the winner here on 82 minutes no clear cut chances as of right now, a few basic shots to stop for both keepers.
SUBS OFF Nunes, Khusanov SUBS ON Dias, Lewis - 85’
Free kick for Albion with the minutes ticking down, again resulting in nothing. Brighton not making much off of their set pieces this afternoon.
87’ Corner Brighton I could be proven wrong if they make something off of this.
CHANCE! James Trafford making save of the afternoon Van Hecke thought he’d won all three points for Albion before Trafford scoops it off the line and eventually has it in his hands.
GOALLLL - There’s your winner!!
89’ on the clock Gruda finds the winner past Trafford, a lovely ball played through, his first goal in Albion colours as the recipient takes it round the keeper to give Albion the lead!!
We’re into seven minutes of additional time following the goal.
The game is starting to fizzle out as Brighton are doing brilliant at game management to see out all three precious points.
SUBS OFF - Minteh 95’
SUBS ON- Coppola 95’
Not long to go here at all at the Amex, a Haaland shot which looked more like a cross led to nothing, a shadow of his first half self here in the south coast.
That should be the final chance for the away side a shot dragged low and wide, 98 minutes played here surely the referee will blow soon.
FULL TIME BHA 2-1 MCI
An excellent second half comeback from the seagulls sees Man City head back up to the north pointless for the second game week running!
Brighton - Verbruggen, De Cuyper, Dunk (C), Van Hecke - Yellow 16’, Veltman - Yellow 77’, Baleba - Sub Off 60’, Hinshelwood - Sub Off 60’, Minteh - Sub Off 95’, Gomez - Sub Off 60’, Mitoma - Assist 89’, Welbeck - Sub Off 60’ (Subs) Milner - Sub on 60’ - Goal (Penalty) 67’, Gruda - Sub On 60’ - Goal 89’, Coppola - Sub On 95’, Rutter - Sub On 60’, Ayari - Sub On 60’ (Unused Subs) Steele, Kadioglu, Boscagli, O’Riley
Manchester City - Trafford, Nunes - Sub Off 85’, Stones, Khusanov - Yellow Card 64’ - Sub Off 85’, Ait Nouri - Yellow Card 69’, Rodri, Bobb, Silva (C) - Sub Off 72’, Reijnders, Marmoush - Assist 34’ - Sub Off 72’, Haaland - Goal 34’ (Subs) O’reilly - Sub On 72’, Doku Sub on 72’, Lewis - Sub On 85’, Dias - Sub On 85’ (Unused Subs) Ederson, Akanji, Ake, Gundogan, Gonzalez.