Guardiola Endures Unprecedented Four Consecutive Losses as Man City Fall to Brighton

Pep Guardiola faced an unprecedented setback in his coaching career, suffering four straight losses as Brighton defeated Manchester City 2-1 at the Amex Stadium. This defeat compounded City’s struggles, primarily attributed to a long injury list hampering their lineup.

In the first half, City delivered an impressive performance, netting a goal by Erling Haaland, who showcased his prowess with his 12th goal of the Premier League season. However, despite their efforts, they were unable to extend their lead.

The second half saw Brighton emerge as the more energetic team. Guardiola’s hesitation to use his substitutes stands in contrast to Brighton coach Fabian Hertzler, who made crucial changes that paid off. Joao Pedro equalized in the 78th minute and shortly after, Matt O’Riley scored his first Premier League goal, completing Brighton’s comeback and delighting the home crowd.

Manchester City now finds itself in second place in the league, having only lost two Premier League matches during this streak. As they face upcoming challenges against Tottenham and Liverpool, Guardiola is pressing for improved squad fitness, especially given the severe injury to key player Rodri.

The depth of City’s squad has been a concern, as injury misfortunes are becoming more significant due to a deprioritization of player recruitment from Guardiola and director of football Txiki Begiristain. This situation is further complicated by Guardiola’s impending contract expiration and the ongoing charges from the Premier League against the club, expected to reach a conclusion shortly.

Guardiola’s contract ends this season, and past extensions during international breaks have led to reflections on his team’s current struggles during this critical period. The uncertainty regarding his future could intensify the unrest among the loyal supporters of the club.

Team news and lineups | Highlights and key events

Final Score: Brighton vs. Man City

	Fulltime	Goalscorers
Brighton	2	Joao Pedro 78, Matt O’Riley 83′
Man City	1	Haaland 23′

Venue: Amex Stadium, Brighton and Hove
Referee: Sam Barrott

Stay updated with every game and goal using SN’s live Premier League scoreboard.

Lineups:

Brighton (4-4-2, right to left): 1. Bart Verbruggen (GK) — 34. Joel Veltman, 29. Jan Paul van Hecke, 3. Igor Julio, 30. Pervis Estupinan — 11. Simon Adringa (8. Brajan Gruda), 41. Jack Hinshelwood (33. Matt O’Riley), 26. Yasin Ayari (20. Carlos Baleba), 22. Kaoru Mitoma — 14. Georginio Rutter (9. Joao Pedro), 18. Danny Welbeck

Man City (4-1-4-1, right to left): 31. Ederson (GK) — 2. Kyle Walker, 66. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, 24. Josko Gvardiol, 82. Rico Lewis — 8. Mateo Kovacic — 26. Savinho (17. Kevin De Bruyne), 47. Phil Foden, 19. Ilkay Gundogan (20. Bernardo Silva), 27. Matheus Nunes— 9. Erling Haaland

Highlights and Key Events of Brighton vs. Man City

83 mins: Goal! Matt O’Riley! The young Brighton midfielder makes a memorable Premier League debut, driving the ball past Ederson and igniting celebrations among the home crowd.

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78 mins: Goal! Joao Pedro! The Brazilian substitute capitalizes on a hectic situation in the City defense to score, putting Brighton back on level terms.

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23 mins: Goal! Erling Haaland! City’s forward nets his 12th goal of the season following an exceptional assist from Mateo Kovacic, managing to finish just before the ball hit the crossbar.

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Team News and Lineups for Brighton vs. Man City

While City has faced considerable injury challenges, Brighton is also managing a strained squad. Solly March is out with an ACL injury, and both James Milner and Adam Webster are sidelined due to thigh injuries. However, Matt O’Riley has returned to the bench following an ankle issue.

Lewis Dunk (calf) and Yankuba Minteh (muscular) remain unavailable, while Yasin Ayari (ankle) starts, and Carlos Baleba (knee) waits on the bench.

Brighton (4-4-2, right to left): Verbruggen (GK) — Veltman, Van Hecke, Igor, Estupinan — Adringa, Hinshelwood, Ayari, Mitoma — Rutter, Welbeck

Injured: March, Milner, Webster, Dunk, Minteh
Suspended: None

Jack Grealish has been absent since a training injury after City’s victory at Wolves on October 20. Guardiola anticipated his recovery would take until after the November international break, but Grealish was called up for upcoming Nations League matches with Greece and the Republic of Ireland.

Carsley informed the press of Grealish’s training return this week, but Guardiola added caution during his own press session, diminishing expectations for his appearance.