Man City 2 Brighton 1
Man City welcomed Brighton to the Etihad Stadium, looking to get back to winning ways after back-to-back defeats in the Premier League. Pep Guardiola was happy to have Rodri back from suspension as they had lost all three domestic games in his absence.
James Milner started for The Seagulls in this game, facing once of his 300 previous clubs. It would be a stern test for the 37-year-old against City’s spritely wingers, with him being deployed as a full-back for Brighton on the day.
It did not take long for Doku to cause him problems as he turned one way and then the other, before getting to the byline to cut the ball back. He found Alvarez who struck a first-time effort to give Pep Guardiola’s side an early lead.
Baleba then gifted the ball to Haaland with a terrible back-pass and the Norwegian ran through with it, before striking a left-footed shot into the bottom corner. Possibly the worst person you could gift a chance to in the league.
Credit: @ManCity
Doku then continued to shine and as he cut inside after dropping the shoulder a couple of times, his right footed shot narrowly missed the far post. Milner was starting to look like a player in a ‘lads versus dads’ game and he was getting rinsed by the youngsters like he was eight pints deep.
The veteran defender was to get the shepherd’s crook early in the second-half. As Brighton looked to put some pressure on the hosts, Ortega kicked the ball straight to Adingra who managed to find Gross. His scuffed finish could not test the stand-in City keeper however.
Foden then found Halaland with a sublime pass. The City striker killed the ball dead with his first touch and cut onto his favoured left-foot before getting a shot away but Steele was equal to the effort as he made a good stop.
Brighton were starting to get into the game a little more and as Fati threaded a ball through to Mitoma, his effort was blocked by Ortega with the Brighton player holding his head in his hands, knowing that was a great chance missed.
Man City came forward and Alvarez slotted in Doku but Steele was quick off his line to make a sliding challenge outside of the box. It only went as far as Alvarez, but the Argentine took a touch before trying to bend it towards goal and it was all too easy for Dunk to control.
Mitoma was starting to cause Guardiola’s side some real issues down the left wing and as he strode forward skipping past defenders, his cross was poorly dealt with by Akanji who nudged it to Fati, who dispatched the ball into the back of the net.
Credit: @ManCity
Deep into added time as Brighton looked to turn defence into attack, Fati turned Akanji who had his hands around the waist of the Barcelona man who went to ground. The referee did not think twice as he produced a yellow card, the second of the game for the player, and then the subsequent red.
Man City got the all-important three points but will now be without Akanji for the Manchester derby. Just after getting Rodri back from suspension, Guardiola now has another headache to deal with. De Zerbi will be disappointed with the start his side made to the game but pleased with their second half display.
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