Manchester City held to 2-2 draw against Brighton

Manchester City dropped crucial points in the Premier League on Saturday, drawing 2-2 at home against Brighton & Hove Albion. Pep Guardiola’s side took the lead twice but failed to hold on, as a second-half own goal by Abdukodir Khusanov denied them victory.

Early goals set the tone

City started brightly and took the lead in the 11th minute when Erling Haaland confidently converted a penalty. However, Brighton responded swiftly. Just ten minutes later, Pervis Estupiñán curled a free kick past Ederson, leveling the score at 1-1. The hosts regained control just before halftime. Omar Marmoush, who has been growing in importance for Guardiola’s side, unleashed a powerful long-range strike that found the net via the post, giving City a 2-1 advantage at the break.

Khusanov’s own goal proves costly

Brighton, however, did not take long to strike back. Just minutes into the second half, City’s lead evaporated when defender Abdukodir Khusanov inadvertently turned the ball into his own net while attempting to clear a corner. The Oezbeek international could only watch as his unfortunate touch sent the ball past Ederson, making it 2-2. City pushed for a winner, coming closest when Nico González’s header rattled the post. Despite dominating possession and creating late chances, Guardiola’s men could not break Brighton’s resistance and had to settle for a frustrating draw.

City’s second consecutive setback

The result marked City’s second game in a row without a win, following last week’s 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest. Missing the injured Nathan Aké, City’s defensive struggles were evident once again. Brighton, meanwhile, put in a resilient performance. Dutch players Bart Verbruggen and Jan Paul van Hecke started, while Mats Wieffer came on late. Joël Veltman was unavailable due to injury.

Impact on the Premier League standings

With this draw, Manchester City remains in fifth place, one point behind fourth-placed Chelsea. The battle for Champions League qualification remains tight, with the top four teams securing a place in Europe’s elite competition. Chelsea will have the chance to extend their lead over City when they visit Arsenal on Sunday. For Guardiola and his team, the focus now shifts to regaining momentum in the upcoming fixtures, as every dropped point puts their Champions League ambitions at further risk.