Premier League: Man City top-4 hopes dashed as Brighton hold firm at Etihad

Premier League: Man City top-4 hopes dashed as Brighton hold firm at Etihad

Ifeanyi Ufomadu 18:00 - 15.03.2025

Brighton denied Manchester City all three points in an entertaining 2-2 draw at the Etihad Stadium.

Pep Guardiola's Manchester City were looking to bounce back from last weekend's 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, and with the race for Champions League football heating up, they could not afford another defeat.

The champions started strongly, opening the scoring thanks to star striker Erling Haaland, who finished expertly from the spot.

Haaland's goal saw him become the first-ever player in PL history to reach 100 goal involvements before playing 100 games – taking the Norwegian just 94 to notch 84 goals and 16 assists. 

Fabian Hürzeler's Brighton bounced back, through Pervis Estupiñán's brilliant curling free-kick.

City responded strongly, with Erling Haaland denied a brace before January signing Marmoush drilled in a pinpoint effort from 25 yards out.

The second half was just as attacking, with Brighton drawing level again through an Abdukodir Khusanov own goal. City pushed for a third goal, but Marmoush was denied by a brilliant Bart Verbruggen save. The hosts were then denied by the woodwork late on, as Nico González's header clipped the post.

Neither side could find an elusive third goal, leaving City inconsistent and a point behind the top four.

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