Brighton & Hove Albion staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Manchester City 2-1 in Saturday’s Premier League fixture at the Amex Stadium.
The victory for the Seagulls was all the more impressive given that City arrived in desperate need of a win, having suffered three consecutive defeats to Tottenham Hotspur, Bournemouth, and Sporting Lisbon across different competitions.
Pep Guardiola’s side was under heavy pressure to deliver a strong performance and halt their losing streak.
Erling Haaland opened the scoring for City in the 23rd minute, capitalizing on a loose ball in the box after his initial effort had been saved by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
The assist came from Mateo Kovacic, whose well-weighted pass sent Haaland through on goal. Despite Verbruggen’s best efforts to deny him, the Norwegian striker was relentless and found the back of the net, putting City 1-0 up.
Brighton responded with determination, with Danny Welbeck and Kaoru Mitoma creating threats on the counter.
Just after the restart, Brighton almlost leveled the score when Jack Hinshelwood’s header was straight at Ederson, but the equalizer was soon to come.
Welbeck had another chance in the 67th minute, but failed to capitalize in the box. City’s defense was looking vulnerable, and both Mitoma and Pedro had opportunities to strike but were thwarted by Ederson and poor finishing, respectively.
The breakthrough for Brighton arrived in the 78th minute, with Joao Pedro firing home from inside the box after a scramble in the penalty area. City’s defense was unable to clear the ball, allowing Pedro to capitalize and pull the Seagulls level.
The atmosphere at the Amex erupted as Brighton sensed the opportunity for a historic win.
Then, in the 83rd minute, debutant Matt O’Riley sealed the victory for Brighton, marking his first-ever appearance for the club with a decisive goal. Pedro’s brilliant pass found O’Riley inside the penalty area, and the 23-year-old made no mistake in converting the chance, sending the home crowd into raptures.
The win not only handed Brighton an impressive victory but also moved them up to fourth in the Premier League table, a remarkable achievement.
For Guardiola and City, the loss marked their fourth straight defeat, a rare and troubling streak for the reigning champions, who now find themselves two points adrift of league leaders Liverpool.
The defeat also represented Guardiola’s first four-game losing streak since taking charge at Manchester City.
Despite the early dominance from City, it was Brighton who finished the match the stronger side, fully deserving of the win that capped off an unforgettable afternoon at the Amex.
