Brighton 2-1 Manchester City Match Review and Player Ratings: Seagulls Soar as Brighton Rip Up City’s Aura of Invincibility! | OneFootball

Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Manchester City

James Milner 67′, Brajan Gruda 89′, Erling Haaland 34′

At the Amex Stadium, Brighton produced one of the most remarkable comebacks of the Premier League season so far, defeating Manchester City 2-1 in front of a raucous home crowd. Erling Haaland had marked his 100th Premier League appearance with a first-half goal to put Pep Guardiola’s side ahead, but late strikes from James Milner and Brajan Gruda turned the contest on its head.

For City, it was a sobering afternoon. What once seemed like the aura of invincibility has evaporated; opponents no longer see Pep Guardiola’s team as untouchable. Brighton, whose performances this season had often outweighed their results, seized the moment. A tactical masterstroke from Fabian Hürzeler-a quadruple substitution on the hour-completely altered the dynamic, exposing City’s fragility and earning the Seagulls a deserved victory.

Match Summary and Tactical Review

The opening half followed a familiar script for Manchester City. They were not at their most fluent, but the rhythm was there in patches. Rodri’s return to the starting XI for the first time since his knee injury last September offered some measure of control, and with Omar Marmoush and Oscar Bobb buzzing around the half-spaces, City created enough chances to feel comfortable.

Manchester City Strike First

Haaland, though wasteful early on, eventually delivered. Having scuffed one effort and seen a header parried by Bart Verbruggen, he latched onto Marmoush’s persistence to fire home from close range. It was a classic Haaland goal: ruthless positioning, sharp instincts, and a finish that looked set to silence the Amex. At half-time, City’s one-goal lead looked comfortable.

Hürzeler’s Substitutions Change The Game As Brighton Strike Back

Yet football rarely obeys scripts. Brighton, passive in the first half with their pass completion rate under 75%, emerged from the tunnel a different side. Hürzeler’s quadruple substitution on the hour -bringing on Yasin Ayari, James Milner, Brajan Gruda, and Georginio -injected urgency, energy, and incision. Suddenly, Brighton pressed higher, broke lines quicker, and poured men forward.

The equaliser came from a familiar City vulnerability: the space between defence and goalkeeper. Mitoma’s cross ricocheted, Dunk’s volley struck Matheus Nunes’s arm, and referee Darren England had little hesitation in awarding a penalty. Up stepped James Milner, 39 years old, facing his former club and six years removed from his last Premier League goal. He buried it with characteristic calm, celebrating with Diogo Jota’s video game gesture -a poignant tribute to his late former teammate.

City’s composure unravelled from there. Bernardo Silva’s withdrawal on 72 minutes robbed them of midfield control, while John Stones and Rayan Aït-Nouri struggled to deal with balls in behind. Time and again, Brighton carved open City’s defensive line, with Trafford called upon to deny Minteh and Van Hecke in quick succession.

Manchester City Unravels As Brajan Gruda Completes The Comeback

The pressure finally told in the 89th minute. A turnover in midfield released Kaoru Mitoma, who measured a pass into the stride of Brajan Gruda. The young German winger showed supreme composure, rounding Trafford, sending Aït-Nouri sliding the wrong way, and rolling the ball into the empty net. It was a finish of a player brimming with confidence -and a moment that capped Brighton’s relentless second-half surge.

For Guardiola, the defeat highlighted an uncomfortable truth. City no longer dominate midfields as they once did during their treble-winning peak. With their pressing less coordinated and their structure less secure, opponents see space -and opportunity. Brighton’s win was no fluke; it was the product of tactical bravery, relentless pressure, and City’s increasing vulnerability under stress.

Player Ratings

Brighton

Bart Verbruggen – 6

Saved smartly from Haaland early on but was exposed for the opener. Distribution remains inconsistent.

Joel Veltman – 6.5

Steady defensively, rarely ventured forward.

Jan Paul van Hecke – 7.5

Relished the battle with Haaland, made key interventions, and was unlucky not to score with a header.

Lewis Dunk – 6.5

Defended stoutly, though was beaten in the build-up to Haaland’s opener.

Maxim De Cuyper – 6

Composed in possession, he built a promising link with Mitoma.

Diego Gómez – 7

Tenacious, pressed aggressively, and drove Brighton forward when others faltered.

Carlos Baleba – 5.5

Struggled for rhythm before being replaced.

Jack Hinshelwood – 7.5

Energetic display in midfield, pressed well until his substitution.

Yankuba Minteh – 8.5

Brighton’s most dangerous outlet. Pace and directness tormented City’s back line. Did everything but score. Man of the Match contender.

Danny Welbeck – 6.5

Offered physicality and clever hold-up play in the first hour.

Kaoru Mitoma – 7.5

Flashes of brilliance created the winner with composed decision-making.

Substitutes

James Milner – 8: Ice-cool penalty, inspirational cameo.

Yasin Ayari – 7.5: Pressed ferociously, disrupted City’s rhythm.

Brajan Gruda – 8.5: Outstanding composure for the winner.

Georginio – 6.5: Forced one save, added energy.

Diego Coppola – 6: Helped Brighton see the game out.

Manchester City

James Trafford – 8

Made several outstanding saves, particularly from Mitoma and Van Hecke. Could do little about the goals.

Matheus Nunes – 5

Adapted well as a makeshift right-back, though conceded the penalty.

John Stones – 6

Struggled to contain Brighton’s runners. Positionally exposed for the winner.

Abdukodir Khusanov – 6.5

Strong in spells but faded after his booking.

Rayan Aït-Nouri – 4

Lost his duel with Minteh, was exposed repeatedly, and was beaten badly for Gruda’s goal.

Rodri – 8

Controlled the first half, composed in possession, but couldn’t stem the tide once Brighton gained momentum.

Bernardo Silva – 6.5

Energetic but ineffective creatively. His substitution coincided with City’s loss of control.

Tijjani Reijnders – 6

Gradually grew into the game but lacked incisiveness.

Oscar Bobb – 7.5

A lively presence & created space and panic with his direct running.

Erling Haaland – 6.5

Scored the opener but wasted chances. Faded in the second half.

Omar Marmoush – 7

Impressive in possession, assisted Haaland’s goal, but replaced as City retreated.

Substitutes

Nico O’Reilly – 5.5: Failed to regain midfield control.

Jeremy Doku – 5: Anonymous after coming on.

Rico Lewis – N/A.

Ruben Dias – N/A.

Man of the Match

Yankuba Minteh (Brighton) -His blistering pace and directness continually unsettled City’s backline. While Milner and Gruda delivered the decisive goals, it was Minteh’s tireless running that set the tone for Brighton’s comeback and forced City onto the back foot.

Final Word

Brighton’s 2-1 victory over Manchester City was more than just three points –it was a statement. The Seagulls, so often praised for their performances without reward, finally converted dominance into result. Fabian Hürzeler’s bold tactical changes swung the match, and in Milner and Gruda, Brighton found both inspiration and execution.

For Manchester City, questions mount. Consecutive league defeats underline their fragility, and the once-formidable aura of champions looks fractured. With rivals sensing weakness, Guardiola’s men must quickly rediscover their control and rhythm or risk falling further behind in the title race.

At the Amex, however, the story belonged to Brighton -to Milner’s tribute, to Gruda’s composure, to Minteh’s dynamism. A famous night on the south coast, and a reminder that even the mightiest can be undone by belief, bravery, and relentless energy.