Brighton pick up first away league victory over Man City to go third

Shamoon Hafez
Football reporter at Etihad Stadium

Brighton gained quick revenge after being knocked out of the Carabao Cup in midweek by stunning Manchester City and condemning Enzo Maresca's side to back-to-back Premier League defeats.

Fabian Hurzeler's men had twice taken the lead at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday but were edged out on penalties. On Saturday, they held on to a highly impressive victory to move just two points behind City in third.

Brighton scored the winning goal just 11 minutes in courtesy of a major helping hand from right-back Matheus Nunes, whose miscued clearance fell nicely for Yasin Ayari to convert from close range.

City should have levelled 10 minutes later when Iliman Ndiaye rose to meet Elliot Anderson's cross but planted his header the wrong side of the post, before the Senegal international stung Bart Verbruggen's palms at the near post.

Ndiaye was proving to be City's brightest spark as they looked for a way back into the game in the second half and the ex-Everton man ran clear and thumped a strike which was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Verbruggen.

The Brighton goalkeeper was proving to be a difficult prospect to find a way past and he made another superb save to deny Nunes, while a weak header from Erling Haaland was more comfortable to deal with.

City's star striker Haaland was being starved of any real service and his side could well have fallen further behind at the other end – Maxim de Cuyper blazing over from 10 yards out and then forcing Donnarumma into a sharp save with a header.

But those missed opportunities from Brighton did not matter as they collected all three points to continue their exciting start to the season.

Testing times for Maresca

Enzo Maresca - post-match interview - Manchester City vs Brighton

Manager Maresca made a flawless start by winning his first seven league games in charge of City but has now hit his first sticky patch, seeing his side defeated at Aston Villa last Saturday and now beaten at home by Brighton.

Another individual error was their undoing, this time Nunes being the guilty party, failing to get enough purchase on De Cuyper's cross towards the far post and presenting Ayari with an opportunity that he could not miss.

The home side had opportunities in the final third too but lacked their usual clinical finishing in front of goal, failing to find the net for the first time in 25 Premier League matches despite having 21 shots at goal.

City needed penalties to edge past Brighton during the week but they extended their poor recent form against the Seagulls, now winless against the opposition in their past five league games.

Star man Haaland had little to feed off, while Maresca needs to address his formula in midfield – the three-man deployment of Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi were often disjointed and lacking in cohesion.

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Brilliant Brighton march on

Fabian Hurzeler - post-match interview - Manchester City vs Brighton

Brighton had never won at City in 16 previous league visits but they ended that run through an early goal and stout defending.

Ayari made amends for his penalty miss in the shootout by converting at the same end for his third league goal of an eye-catching campaign.

Hurzeler's side have been the most entertaining Premier League side in terms of goals scored this season and their 24 strikes is unmatched by any other top-flight team.

They are a very well-drilled side, with relentless pressing and the reward for their supporters to make the second long trip up from the south coast in the space of three days was a thoroughly deserved three points.

Player of the match

B. Verbruggen
8.57
11 J. Doku
4.44
7 I. Ndiaye
4.40
5 E. Anderson
4.35
10 R. Cherki
4.29
45 A. Khusanov
4.21
32 A. Bouaddi
4.20
1 G. Donnarumma
4.15
3 Rúben Dias
4.08
24 J. Gvardiol
4.06
9 E. Haaland
3.92
33 N. O'Reilly
3.80
27 Matheus Nunes
3.79
47 P. Foden
3.79
17 E. Fernández
3.75
37 Allan
3.59
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