Manchester City Suffers Surprise Defeat: Milner and Gruda Engineer Remarkable Recovery for Brighton
Manchester City suffered a shocking defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion in a thrilling Premier League match at the Amex Stadium. The Citizens started the season on a rocky note, marking their first time since the 2004-05 season with just three points from their first nine games.
In a dramatic turn of events, Brighton's head coach Fabian Hurzeler made four substitutions around the hour mark, which proved to be a game-changer. The tactical shift paid off as the Seagulls managed to turn the tide in their favour.
One of the key moments in the match came when James Trafford, City's goalkeeper, made a fantastic save to deny Jan Paul van Hecke. However, the respite was short-lived as Matheus Nunes was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box, awarding a penalty kick. James Milner, making his first appearance for Brighton, stepped up to score his first goal for the club, becoming the second-oldest goalscorer in the Premier League.
The second half saw Brighton dominating the play, with six shots on target compared to City's none. The pressure finally paid off when Kaoru Mitoma set up Brajan Gruda for the winning goal, securing a 2-1 victory for the home team.
Meanwhile, Rodri, who started his first league game since suffering a serious knee injury against Arsenal in September 2024, ended a 49-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League when he played in City's 2-1 loss. Only Sol Campbell (56 in a row between 2002 and 2004) has made more consecutive starts without losing in the Premier League than Rodri.
In a remarkable feat, Erling Haaland scored his 88th Premier League goal on his 100th appearance in the competition. Despite City's poor performance, Haaland's goal was a consolation in a match that saw the Seagulls outshoot City, with Brighton hitting the target seven times compared to City's three.
The defeat marks Manchester City's second consecutive loss, raising questions about their title defence. Only one team has ever lost two of their first three games in a Premier League season and gone on to win the title - Manchester United in the inaugural 1992-93 campaign. As the season progresses, it remains to be seen if Pep Guardiola's team can recover from this early setback.
