- Brighton defeated Manchester City 2-1, handing the champions their fourth consecutive loss
- City initially led with an Erling Haaland goal, but Brighton’s Matt O'Riley secured a comeback victory with a late winner
- The defeat marked the first time Pep Guardiola has seen four straight defeats in his managerial career, exposing City's defensive struggles without Ballon d’Or winner, Rodri.
Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion handed England champions Manchester City a rare fourth straight defeat in all competitions, edging them 2-1 in a surprisingly tough Premier League clash that saw a second-half turnaround.
Pep Guardiola’s side started strong, controlling possession and testing Brighton's defence repeatedly. Erling Haaland struck first in the 23rd minute, converting a Mateo Kovacic assist to register his 75th Premier League goal in just his 77th match.
Haaland nearly doubled the lead minutes later, hitting the post and leaving Brighton’s keeper, Bart Verbruggen, visibly relieved.
Despite their dominance in the first half, City failed to hold Brighton back in the second half of the game. Brighton started the second half with much more determination, finally finding offensive momentum and testing City’s backline.
Their breakthrough came in the 78th minute when Joao Pedro slotted the ball past Ederson to level the game.
Just five minutes later, substitute Matt O’Riley completed the comeback, placing the ball over Ederson after a slick assist from Pedro, sealing the 2-1 victory for Brighton.
This defeat was a tough pill for Pep Guardiola to swallow, marking the first time in his managerial career that he’d suffered four consecutive losses. The slump began with a 2-1 Carabao Cup exit against Spurs, followed by a Premier League defeat to Bournemouth.
The 4-1 Champions League thrashing by Sporting Lisbon added more salt to injury, and Brighton's triumph made matters worse by exposing the Premier League champion's recent struggles, particularly on defence.
Without Rodri’s influence, City’s defence seemed more vulnerable, conceding ten goals across the last four matches.
As the champions work to overcome these defensive weaknesses and regain form, Guardiola and City face a battle to bounce back from a surprising run of poor results and start competing for the Premier League title.
Man City faces uncertain future as Guardiola holds his cards to his chest
Previously, TheRadar reported that Manchester City’s future hangs in the balance as Pep Guardiola talks about the upcoming departure of Txiki Begiristain, the club’s long-serving director of football.
While Begiristain’s influence will be missed, Guardiola is also facing questions about his own future. With his contract expiring at the end of the current 2024/2025 season, the Spanish manager has hinted at being “closer to leaving than staying” after securing City’s historic fourth consecutive Premier League title in May.
