Manchester City’s midweek struggles continued on Wednesday as they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion at home. The result marks the champions’ third consecutive Premier League match without a victory and allows Arsenal to maintain their five-point lead.
Erling Haaland gave City the lead from the penalty spot four minutes before halftime after Diego Gomez fouled Jeremy Doku in the Brighton box. VAR confirmed the decision, and Haaland converted confidently to score his 150th goal for Manchester City. The strike also ended his three-match goal drought and took him to 20 Premier League goals for the season.
City nearly extended their advantage shortly after the restart when Bernardo Silva intercepted a Brighton defensive error, but his shot rebounded off the post. The match became heated when City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma and Brighton’s Maxim De Cuyper engaged in a confrontation, with both goalkeepers shown yellow cards.
Brighton drew level in the 60th minute through a well-executed finish from Kaoru Mitoma. The Japanese winger collected a pass from the flank, positioned himself at the edge of the penalty area, and curled a low shot into the far corner with excellent technique.
The visitors seized the initiative after equalizing, controlling the game’s tempo and creating several chances to claim all three points. Mitoma was at the heart of Brighton’s best opportunity, finding Gomez inside the box, but the midfielder’s shot was saved by Donnarumma. Mitoma’s rebound attempt from a tight angle struck the post. City had one final chance to secure victory when Haaland found himself one-on-one with Verbruggen in injury time, but the Brighton goalkeeper’s superb save ensured the spoils were shared.