Man City 2-2 Brighton: City stumble again in the battle to secure return to UCL

Game is over and the final score is Man City 2-2 Brighton. Here is the match report.

Match Report

Manchester City stumbled again in the battle to secure a return to the Champions League as they were pegged back twice by fellow top-five challengers Brighton in an entertaining encounter at Etihad Stadium.

Erling Haaland became the first player to reach 100 Premier League goal involvements in fewer than 100 games when he marked his 94th appearance in the competition with his 84th goal by sending Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen the wrong way with his 11th-minute penalty.

In a game of superb goals, Pervis Estupinan levelled with a curling free-kick that bounced in off a post, although City keeper Stefan Ortega, in for injured first-choice Ederson, did not cover himself in glory as he initially moved to his right before changing direction and eventually watching the ball go in with a shocked look on his first.

Omar Marmoush levelled with a superb 20-yard strike into the bottom corner, only for City's brittle defence to let them down again three minutes after the restart as Abdukodir Khusanov diverted Jack Hinshelwood's effort into his own net.

In a frenzied finish, City manager Pep Guardiola grew increasingly irritated at referee Simon Hooper following challenges on Josko Gvardiol and Bernardo Silva, who had to be replaced 18 minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Nico Gonzalez hit a post as the hosts pressed but it was Brighton, who have never won an away game against City, who should have claimed victory, only for Carlos Baleba to balloon a shot over the bar when he had arrived with a perfectly timed run to meet Joao Pedro's cross unmarked in a central position 12 yards out.

Match Events

0' The match is about to start!

7' Mitoma scored but VAR disallowed the goal

11' Haaland's penalty goal puts City in lead! Man City 1-0 Brighton

21' Superb strike from Estupinan sees the free kick go in! Man City 1-1 Brighton

25' Savinho cuts inside and shoot but Brighton keeper denies the Brazilian

35' Minteh drives into the City box before chipping a delicate effort just over

39' Marmoush despatches a superb effort inside the post! Man City 2-1 Brighton

43' A misplaced pass wrong foots Dias and puts in Pedro but his shot just wide

48' Hinshelwood's effort struck Khusanov & went into the net! Man City 2-2 Brighton

51' Baleba's shot from 23 yards is low and wide

53' Pedro ping in a dangerous cross and the diving Rutter just fail to connect

63' Marmoush is denied by a fine save after a fine Gvardiol pass but it is offside

69' Bernardo is brought down on the left edge of the box by Gomez

80' Nico hits the post with a fine header

83' Pedro race down the left flank before teeing up Baleba who blazed over the bar

86' Kevin De Bruyne comes on and Omar Marmoush is off

90' De Bruyne's shot takes a deflection off the defender and then goes wide

Line-ups

Man City XI: Gundogan, Ortega, Ruben Dias, Haaland, Omar Marmoush, Nico González, Doku, Gvardiol, Lewis, Savinho, Abdukodir Khusanov

Subs: Carson, De Bruyne, Kovacic, Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Foden, Matheus Nunes, McAtee, Vitor Reis

Brighton XI: Webster, Pervis Estupiñán, Kaoru Mitoma, Georginio Rutter, Jan Paul van Hecke, João Pedro, Bart Verbruggen, Diego Gómez, Carlos Baleba, Yankuba Minteh, Jack Hinshelwood

Subs: Welbeck, Mats Wieffer, Eiran Cashin, Yasin Ayari, Carl Rushworth, Simon Adingra, Brajan Gruda, Jacob Slater, Joe Knight