Metropolis have been overwhelmed 2-1 by Brighton as two second-half targets noticed the Seagulls overturn Erling Haaland’s opener.
The Metropolis striker had fired the Blues right into a first-half lead on his one hundredth Premier League look with an instantaneous end within the thirty fourth minute.
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However James Milner equalised after the break from the penalty spot earlier than Brajan Gruda’s 89th-minute winner turned the sport round.
The match noticed Rodri begin his first Premier League match since September 2024 following a long-term knee harm.
The sport in 250 phrases
Haaland laid down an early maker with the primary sight of objective when he raced onto Tijjani Reijnders’ throughball despite the fact that he shot weakly at Verbruggen.
The Metropolis striker was the largest objective risk within the opening exchanges, dragging a shot huge and having a farpost header scrambled off the road by Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen earlier than he lastly discovered the breakthrough.
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Rayan Ait-Nouri received the ball excessive up the pitch and Metropolis moved ahead rapidly, with Omar Marmoush prodding the ball by Lewis Dunk’s legs for Haaland to whip house from 10 yards.
Whereas Metropolis have been on high, it was Brighton who had created the perfect opening to that time, with James Trafford denying Karou Mitoma at full-stretch after the winger had escaped the offside entice.
Pep Guardiola’s facet stored pushing for a second after the break, with Marmoush enjoying a scrumptious cross with the surface of his boot and Oscar Bobb, unable to totally join on the stretch.
Brighton responded with 4 substitutions that might flip the sport, and it virtually had an instantaneous affect with Yankuba Minteh forcing Trafford to tip an effort over the bar.
Brighton have been degree from the penalty spot by Milner after Lewis Dunk’s volley hit Nunes’ outstretched arm from shut vary.
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Trafford made an excellent save late on to disclaim Paul van Hecke’s close-range effort, clawing it away extremely on the stretch.
However there can be one final twist, with Gruda racing away to attain a late winner.
Metropolis followers, delighted to see him again, gave Rodri a rousing response each time he got here wherever close to the away finish.
The present Ballon d’Or holder’s return for his first Premier League begin in almost a yr was one of many brilliant spots of a disappointing day.
Guardiola, who described his return as ‘huge information’ forward of kick-off, has been cautious together with his return to attempt to keep away from any setbacks.
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At instances, it was virtually just like the Spaniard had by no means been away as he orchestrated Metropolis’s possession domination from the bottom of midfield.
A century of Premier League appearances for the Metropolis striker and Haaland marked the event the one manner he is aware of how.
The Brighton defence appeared intent on making an attempt to unsettle the Norwegian however he stored his cool to steer the Blues forward within the first half.
Haaland already had extra targets from his first 100 appearances than anybody in Premier League historical past even earlier than hitting the milestone in opposition to the Seagulls.
One other stretched his whole to 88 – 9 greater than earlier file holder Alan Shearer with 79. Metropolis legend Sergio Aguero is fourth on the checklist with 64.
Guardiola now has two weeks to mirror on a irritating begin to the marketing campaign.
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Two defeats in our opening three matches shall be an enormous disappointment for a staff used to competing for trophies.
Manchester derbies are all the time enormous events and the one on the Etihad once we return in a fortnight’s time shall be very tasty.
It can really feel like a protracted look forward to the event with Metropolis used to having the chance to have the ability to have an instantaneous response, however Pep shall be working exhausting to get us prepared.
BRIGHTON: Verbruggen, Dunk, Van Hecke, Minteh, Hinshelwood (Ayari 61), Baleba (Milner 61), Mitoma, Gomez (Gruda 61), De Cuyper, Veltman, Welbeck (Rutter 61).
Subs not used: Steele, Boscagli, Kadioglu, O’Riley, Coppola
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CITY: Trafford, Nunes (Lewis 85), Khusanov (Dias 85), Stones, Ait-Nouri, Rodri, Bernardo (O’Reilly 72), Bobb, Reijnders, Marmoush (Doku 72), Haaland.
Subs not used: Ederson, Ake, Nico, Gundogan, Akanji.
“We concede the objective and after that it shifted. Till then it was actually, actually good, we had possibilities and the staff seemed aggressive and dynamic.
“We made a very good hour after which after the final half an hour we weren’t good. We forgot to cross the ball, simply performed lengthy balls and we weren’t adequate. It’s what it’s.
“Erling is our huge risk however usually we made a very good hour and after we concede the objective, a bit like Tottenham, we concede and in all places we do not proceed to do what we have to do.
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“It may occur, you continue to have time as a result of it’s potential to concede within the Premier League. In fact everybody makes the substitutions to get higher they usually did it nicely however it all modified after the objective.
“We now have a extremely good squad and naturally we modified many issues from the previous to now, which is regular, we’d like new gamers to adapt and we’d like the older ones to assist them to manage.”
“[It’s] disappointing as a result of we’re Man Metropolis and we come right here to win. However that is the fact, we’re not on the degree for a protracted, very long time.
“The one solution to come again is to take a look at ourselves. That’s the fact. I feel we began nicely however within the second half we dropped a little bit bit, and right here at their house with the strain and two huge errors from us after which 2-1.”
Again-to-back defeats means Metropolis at the moment are twelfth within the early Premier League desk after simply three video games.
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Up subsequent…
We now head into a global break with lots of our gamers going out to affix up with their nationwide staff squads.
Metropolis’s subsequent sport is on Sunday 14 September, with Manchester United the guests to the Etihad Stadium for a 16:30 (UK).