Brighton Exact Revenge On Man City After Carabao Cup Heartbreak With Etihad Triumph

Brighton and Hove Albion secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, ending the hosts’ unbeaten home run and handing Enzo Maresca’s side consecutive defeats in the Premier League.

Yasin Ayari scored the decisive goal in the 11th minute after capitalising on a defensive error by Manchester City right-back Matheus Nunes to give Brighton all three points.

The victory provided a timely response from Fabian Hurzeler’s men following their midweek elimination from the Carabao Cup, where they had twice taken the lead against City before eventually losing on penalties.

Brighton made a strong start to the league encounter and took advantage of City’s defensive uncertainty when Nunes failed to properly clear a cross from Maxim De Cuyper. Ayari collected the loose ball and calmly finished from close range to put the visitors ahead.

Manchester City attempted to respond through Iliman Ndiaye, who first headed Elliot Anderson’s cross wide before forcing Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen into a save with an effort directed towards the near post.

Ndiaye continued to pose a threat after the break, but Verbruggen produced an impressive performance, tipping his powerful attempt onto the crossbar to preserve Brighton’s advantage.

The Brighton goalkeeper also denied Nunes, while City striker Erling Haaland struggled to find clear opportunities against a disciplined visiting defence.

Brighton, meanwhile, had chances to extend their lead through De Cuyper, who missed from close range before forcing City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma into another save with a header.

Despite failing to convert their additional opportunities, the visitors remained organised defensively and successfully protected their narrow advantage until the final whistle.

The defeat represents a difficult period for Maresca, whose team had won their opening seven Premier League matches before suffering consecutive losses against Aston Villa and Brighton.

Manchester City also failed to score in a league match for the first time in 25 games, despite registering 19 attempts on goal. Haaland received limited service throughout the encounter, while the home side struggled to establish control in midfield.

Brighton maintained their third position on the Premier League table following the important away victory, while Manchester City remained top pending the outcome of Arsenal’s match against Liverpool.

The result marks a significant setback for Maresca’s team, while Brighton will take considerable confidence from defeating the same opponents just days after their Carabao Cup disappointment.