Manchester Metropolis shedding streak goes on as Brighton pull off comeback win

Pep Guardiola seemed like he didn’t know what had hit him. As Brighton’s gamers and supporters wildly celebrated Matt O’Riley’s successful purpose, the Manchester Metropolis supervisor will need to have been considering an expertise he has by no means had as a supervisor.

A fourth consecutive defeat for the primary time in his profession can have been particularly onerous to abdomen given how a lot his facet had dominated Brighton within the first half. However a shocking turnaround sparked by João Pedro, who equalised Erling Haaland’s opener earlier than establishing fellow substitute O’Riley 5 minutes later.

It was notably candy for the midfielder – making his Premier League debut after he was injured solely 9 minutes into his Brighton profession in August following his transfer from Celtic in the summertime. How O’Riley loved his second that allowed the house supporters to serenade the beleaguered Metropolis supervisor with chants of ‘You’re getting sacked within the morning’ as they closed in on a memorable victory.

Guardiola had promised that his facet would be taught from their lapses in opposition to Sporting in midweek and he sprang a shock by retaining Jahmai Simpson-Pusey in an untried central defensive partnership alongside Josko Gvardiol. Kyle Walker additionally changed Manuel Akanji, with Bernardo Silva solely on the bench after admitting that Metropolis have been “in a darkish place” following three successive defeats in all competitions. With that in thoughts, Hürzeler described his first assembly with the reigning Premier League champions as a chance for Brighton to problem the institution and he named an attacking line-up led by in-form Danny Welbeck.

But it was the guests who dominated the early proceedings as the harmful Savinho repeatedly discovered house in behind Pervis Estupiñán. The Brazilian’s searing tempo unsettled Brighton’s defence and Bart Verbruggen needed to unfold himself huge to stop him from opening the scoring after one other burst into the field. Haaland was then uncharacteristically wayward from a Phil Foden free-kick as he solely succeeded in clearing the ball away from hazard. Metropolis seemed much more like their standard selves and it appeared like solely a matter of time till they’d rating.

The purpose promptly arrived after 23 minutes when a stunning step from Mateo Kovacic gave him house in midfield to play the proper by ball for Haaland, who rammed residence from shut vary after Verbruggen had made the preliminary save. The Brighton goalkeeper was lucky that the Norwegian’s subsequent effort after he was arrange by Foden got here off his heel and rebounded off the publish earlier than Haaland headed over the ensuing nook.

Brighton’s solely sight of purpose had been a snapshot from Kaoru Mitoma that went harmlessly huge they usually had no reply as Metropolis loved greater than 70% of possession. A involved Hürzeler seemed on as Kovacic was subsequent to power Verbruggen into motion from distance to depart Guardiola together with his arms on his head. However the hosts might properly have had a penalty when Gvardiol’s hand blocked Welbeck’s shot on the bottom after Walker had misjudged a bouncing ball as the house supporters lastly had one thing to shout about. The Brighton ahead was not comfortable and will solely direct a free-kick simply huge of Ederson’s publish after Rico Lewis was cautioned for scything him down.

Carlos Baleba was launched into Brighton’s midfield for the second half in an effort to compete with Metropolis and it appeared to have the specified impact. Mitoma might solely direct a mushy header on course from Georgino Rutter’s cross earlier than Jack Hinshelwood ought to have executed higher from Estupiñán’s cross on the finish of a flowing transfer that was began by Mitoma.

Out of the blue Metropolis seemed jittery however they responded by happening the assault once more. Haaland nearly turned supplier for Savinho if it hadn’t been for a determined clearance from Estupiñán on the again publish. Rutter’s final involvement was to move over the crossbar from one other harmful ball into Metropolis’s space as Hürzeler threw on the returning João Pedro and Brajan Gruda and went into all-out assault mode.

However the Brazilian fluffed his strains when he was performed and couldn’t power Ederson into one other save.

Kevin De Bruyne was launched for his first look since mid-September as Metropolis tried to regain management however Guardiola’s anxiousness solely grew with every Brighton assault. He was proper to look involved as they made an terrible mess of clearing Mitoma’s cross and Pedro pounced on the unfastened ball to equalise. However there was no doubting the standard of the successful purpose when a one-two between Welbeck and Pedro allowed O’Riley to steal the headlines.

Gvardiol got here closest to rescuing a degree for Metropolis in 9 minutes of stoppage time however there was to show no means again as Haaland was booked for clashing with Jan Paul van Hecke and Metropolis have been left to ponder the unthinkable.