Brighton worsens Manchester City’s crisis (2-1)

For the first time in the ‘Guardiola era’, Manchester City added their fourth consecutive defeat in an official match after losing 2-1 to Brighton, which worsened the crisis of results for a team that worked in the first half with a goal from Erling Haaland and that collapsed in the second with the successes of João Pedro and Matt O’Riley.

For the first time in a long time, the word ‘need’ flew over Manchester City, who arrived at the match against Brighton after completing a dark week with three consecutive defeats in three different competitions: they fell in the round of 16 of the English Cup against Tottenham (2-1), in the Premier League against the combative Bournemouth (2-0) and in the Champions League against Sporting (4-1). Falling for the fourth time was entering unknown territory for Guardiola’s City, who could not avoid the fall of his team in a spectacular second half of a Champions League Brighton.

Guardiola also had to deal with a large number of casualties to face a final to regain the pulse of his players. John Stones, Rodri Hernández, Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias and Oscar Bobb were all offside. The Spanish coach even had to bet on the young Jahmal Simpson-Pusey, who made his debut in an eleven to play in the center of defense alongside Josko Gvardiol, transferred from the side to make way for Rico Lewis.

Savinho, Kovacic and Haaland, against the ‘Verbruggen wall’

Opposite, Brighton, a daring team, also with problems with the infirmary, without men like Solomon March, James Milner or Adam Webster. But wanting to give another scare to Manchester City, who during the first half entrusted themselves to three players who stepped on the accelerator to emerge as the protagonists of the partial victory that the ‘citizens’ signed in the first half: Erling Haaland, Savinho and Mateo Kovacic.

Savinho was the most insistent, Haaland who broke down the wall planted by Bart Verbruggen and Kovacic the guide who ordered the game forward and anchored his teammates back. The Brazilian, from the beginning, was a headache for Pervis Estupiñán, who suffered in each attack by the City player, the first to test the Dutch goalkeeper.

Verbruggen, immense throughout the first half, avoided a bleeding from Brighton, who left with only a goal against the work of Haaland, the only one capable of beating an immense goalkeeper. And the fact is that, before the Norwegian attacker’s goal, almost on the half hour mark, Verbrugen took a one-on-one match against Savinho and then cleared another attempt by Haaland against the post, which almost made it 0-2.

On half of those occasions, it was Kovacic who was in charge of shaking up the scoreboard. The Croatian midfielder did almost everything: he stole a ball in the center of the field, accelerated to leave Brighton’s lines behind and gave a pass worthy of a pool hit to Haaland. The Norwegian made a space between Jan Paul van Hecke and Igor, found Verbruggen’s body and finally beat the Dutch goalkeeper on the rebound.

Manchester City’s goal woke up Brighton, which in the last part of the opening act generated some concern in the vicinity of the goal defended by Ederson. Only Estupiñán came close to equalizing and it was Josko Gvardiol, with his body, who prevented what would have been the Ecuadorian full-back’s first goal this season.

The entry of Carlos Baleba onto the pitch raised Brighton’s level. The Cameroonian midfielder balanced his team and the tables completely changed. The subsequent entry of João Pedro and Matt O’Riley ended up unbalancing the balance in Manchester City’s collapse for almost the entire second half.

The first to warn of what was going to happen was Jack Hinshelwood, who wasted a point-blank header that he directed towards Ederson’s body. The shot came from Estupiñán with a cross from the left wing, which was a constant hole for Guardiola’s team with Kyle Walker surprised time and time again by the Ecuadorian and Karou Mitoma. Both were a nightmare for the England international, overwhelmed time and again by his side.

Two other warnings came from their area, from Mitoma and João Pedro, who wasted two very clear chances against Ederson, who breathed with Brighton’s lack of aim. However, tragedy was smelled and Guardiola reacted with the appearances of Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne, who returned to play a Premier League match two months after being injured.

He already enjoyed minutes against Sporting in the Champions League and the City coach needed his control and pause, which he did not get. Brighton continued doing their thing and finally got their deserved reward. In five minutes he hit twice and took the victory. First, again through Mitoma on Walker’s side. The Japanese gave the ball to João Pedro, who resolved amidst a mess of City legs (those of Matheus Nundes, Gvardiol and Lewis) unable to clear the ball.

And then, through Matt O’Riley, who did not waste an assist from João Pedro to beat Ederson in a one-on-one match. That was the end for City, unable to react, hit after three hits to which they added a fourth, all consecutive. Guardiola, the day before, answered many questions about a possible crisis that is already a fact: City, under the direction of the Spanish coach, has never lost four games in a row. Liverpool, meanwhile, are rubbing their hands. They could settle into the lead and be four points away.