Brighton & Hove Albion beat Manchester City 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium thanks to a first-half goal from Yasin Ayari. It is the Seagulls’ first away win against the Citizens.
The two sides had already met in midweek in the League Cup. This time, there was no room for hesitation in the opening minutes of the match.
Ayari scores in the 11th minute
The visitors took control of the game and their courage was rewarded in the 11th minute. Maxim De Cuyper kept alive an assist from Diego Gomez and allowed Yasin Ayari to score the opener.
City’s response was not long in coming, but Iliman Ndiaye missed an excellent chance, heading wide of the goal when unmarked in the Brighton box.
Manchester City’s pressure intensified, but the Seagulls proved resilient. Ndiaye was again prominent, with an individual effort that almost produced a goal, but goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made a assured save.
Before the break, a move by Jeremy Doku created a clear chance for Erling Haaland, but a decisive intervention from Lewis Dunk stopped the Citizens from levelling.
City without an answer after the break
In the second half, Enzo Maresca’s side came close to extending their lead, but De Cuyper, in a prime position, fired over the bar after an assist from Ayari.
The introduction of Rayan Cherki signalled a change in the team’s approach, which almost produced a goal when he set up Enzo Fernandez, but the latter’s shot went just wide.
With this defeat, Manchester City have now lost two Premier League games in a row, raising questions about the team’s performance and ability to bounce back. The pressure is growing on Enzo Maresca, who needs to find solutions to reverse the negative trend before the next match.
The win boosts Brighton’s confidence and consolidates their position in the table, making them a side to reckon with this season.
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