Brighton end their wait for a league win at Manchester City on an early Yasin Ayari goal
Brighton had never won a league match away at Manchester City. A missed clearance in the 11th minute and Bart Verbruggen's goalkeeping changed that, and the 1-0 defeat is City's second in a row in the league.
Brighton had never won a league match away at Manchester City. A missed clearance in the 11th minute and Bart Verbruggen's goalkeeping changed that, and the 1-0 defeat is City's second in a row in the league.
Manchester City
- 1Gerónimo Rulli
- 2Allan Elias
- 3Rico Lewis
- 4Mateo Kovacic
- 5Marc Guéhi
- 6Nico O'Reilly
- 7Rayan Cherki
- 8Phil Foden
- 9Vitor Reis
Brighton
- 1Jason Steele
- 2Jaouen Hadjam
- 3Yankuba Minteh
- 4Jack Hinshelwood
- 5Michael Svoboda
- 6Matt O'Riley
- 7Mats Wieffer
- 8Georginio Rutter
- 9Malick Yalcouyé
Matheus Nunes had the chance to clear a low cross into the area and missed it. Maxim De Cuyper, waiting behind him, laid the ball to Yasin Ayari, who beat Gianluigi Donnarumma from close range.
Three minutes after the restart Ayari turned provider and found De Cuyper unmarked, but the Belgian sent his first-time shot over the bar. That miss kept City in the match, and the rest of the afternoon belonged to Verbruggen.
He pushed Iliman Ndiaye's shot onto the woodwork, stopped Nunes when Rayan Cherki's pass put him through, and late on saved from Abdukodir Khusanov before Nico O'Reilly put the rebound wide. Lewis Dunk had already blocked Erling Haaland's clearest chance before half-time, and City's run of 24 league games with a goal is over.
Three days earlier the same sides drew 2-2 on the same ground and City went through on penalties. City stay top on 21 points, ahead of Arsenal only on goal difference before Arsenal go to Liverpool on Sunday; Brighton are third on 19, two points behind.
