Throwing away the lead twice on Saturday afternoon, Manchester Metropolis missed out on the prospect to climb again into the top-four as they needed to accept a 2-2 stalemate in opposition to Brighton on the Etihad.
Whereas Pep Guardiola’s males might need bought off to a dream begin on residence soil because the record-breaking Erling Haaland transformed from the penalty spot after simply 11 minutes, the Sky Blues failed to search out any actual fluidity as soon as once more.
Nonetheless, the soon-to-be champions had been pegged again halfway by the first-half as Pervis Estupinan’s scrumptious free-kick discovered a manner half Metropolis keeper Stefan Ortega, who was changing injured primary Ederson.
Though January recruit Omar Marsmoush might need restored Metropolis’s benefit because of a thunderous 20-yard strike simply earlier than the break, Metropolis’s brittle defence to allow them to down once more three minutes after the restart as Abdukodir Khusanov diverted Jack Hinshelwood’s effort into his personal web.
With Guardiola as soon as once more reducing a annoyed determine on the sidelines, Metropolis missed out on the prospect to discover a route again into the top-four.
As for Brighton greater than deserving for his or her level within the blue half of Manchester, Saturday’s friends have collected 13 factors from their earlier 5 Premier League showdowns and are driving a significant wave of momentum.
On a day when Metropolis as soon as once more demonstrated their obvious inconstancies, we’ve taken a take a look at the primary speaking factors from the Etihad.
Metropolis’s top-four goals dealt one other blow
Making actual historical past final season as they turned the primary membership in English historical past to assert a fourth consecutive Premier League crown, it was virtually unthinkable that Manchester Metropolis would head into March’s worldwide break sat outdoors the top-four.
Enduring what has been an notorious home rut this season, Guardiola’s aspect have come underneath an enormous quantity of scrutiny on both aspect of opening the New 12 months.
Watching their Champions League goals take one other blow on residence soil, the previous Barcelona boss will merely be wanting ahead to the top of what has been a nightmare marketing campaign.
Getting March underway with a late 1-0 defeat away at Nottingham Forest, the Sky Blues have now recorded only a single victory from any of their earlier 4 Premier League appearances.
Drastically failing to search out any sort of stability and exhibiting some actual defensive points, Guardiola’s downbeat squad have additionally recorded only a pair of victories in opposition to Premier League opposition because the finish of January.
Brighton lengthen on their outstanding run
Whereas Fabian Hurtzler might need solely arrived on the Amex final summer time, the Seagulls have launched into a sensational rise underneath the steering of the ex-St. Pauli boss.
With it wanting like a fifth-place end needs to be sufficient to safe a vastly profitable Champions League ticket, it’s no secret that Saturday’s friends have their sights firmly set on upsetting the institution.
Greater than worthy of their level right here, a few of Saturday’s assist could be heading again to the south coast feeling that they deserved to depart with what would have been a well-known victory on the Etihad.
Touchdown a 2-1 victory once they welcomed the soon-to-be former Premier League champions to city for his or her reverse assembly on November ninth, Brighton have loved what has been a sensational purple patch.
Together with extending on their FA Cup journey because of respective wins in opposition to Chelsea and Newcastle over the previous six week, Hurtzler’s high-flying squad have additionally registered 13 factors from their earlier 5 Premier League appearances.
Haaland breaks extra data
Whereas Manchester Metropolis might need endured what has been an notorious home rut this season, their attacking icon has continued to shine and as soon as once more shattered much more long-standing data right here.
Opening the scoring after simply 11 minutes on Saturday afternoon after changing from the penalty spot, Haaland has been one among use a couple of positives on the Etihad this season.
Though Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah could be sitting fairly within the race to assert this 12 months’s Premier League Golden Boot, the previous Borussia Dortmund striker has notched 21 top-flight objectives in his 28 appearances this season.
In reality, Saturday’s strike signifies that the Norwegian famous person turns into the primary participant in Premier League historical past to achieve 100 direct objective involvement in few than 100 appearances.
Doing so in simply 94 video games, Haaland will know that he should play a number one position in Metropolis’s bid to scramble themselves to a Champions League spot come Could.
Match Report
Manchester Metropolis: Ortega, Lewis, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol, Gundogan, Nico, Savinho, Marmoush, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Foden, Silva, De Bruyne
Brighton: Verbruggen, Hinshelwood, van Hecke, Webster, Estupinan, Gomez, Baleba, Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma, Pedro
Subs: Welbeck, Ayari, Adingra, Wieffer, Gruda
Objectives: Manchester Metropolis: Haaland (11’ P), Marmoush (39’) – Brighton: Estupinan (21’), Khusanov OG (48’)
Yellow Playing cards: Manchester Metropolis, Doku, Savinho – Brighton: Pedro, Mitoma, Baleba, Wieffer Verbruggen
Purple Playing cards: N/A
Referee: Simon Hooper