Manchester City’s recent struggles continued on Wednesday as they failed to secure a victory for the third consecutive Premier League match, drawing 1-1 with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium. The result leaves City five points behind leaders Arsenal, who have 48 points compared to City’s 43 in the title race.
The hosts opened the scoring four minutes before halftime when Erling Haaland converted from the penalty spot after Jeremy Doku was fouled by Diego Gomez. Following a VAR review that upheld the referee’s decision, Haaland stepped up confidently to score his 150th goal for Manchester City and his 20th in the Premier League this season, ending a three-match goal drought.
City came close to extending their lead early in the second half when Bernardo Silva capitalised on a Brighton defensive error, but his effort cannoned off the post. The match became heated when goalkeepers Gianluigi Donnarumma and Maxim De Cuyper clashed, with both players shown yellow cards for their involvement.
Brighton drew level on the hour mark through Kaoru Mitoma, who demonstrated excellent composure to guide a low shot into the bottom corner from just outside the box. The Japanese winger received a pass from wide and took his time to pick his spot, beating Donnarumma with a precisely placed effort.
After equalising, Brighton seized control and nearly claimed a remarkable victory when Mitoma’s angled shot from near the byline struck the post following a scramble in the penalty area. In the final moments, Haaland had a golden opportunity to secure all three points for City, but Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen produced a superb save to deny him and ensure his team earned a well-deserved point.