A 2-2 draw prevented Manchester City from entering the top four

A 2-2 draw prevented Manchester City from entering the top four

  • InNews 2025/03/16 01:55
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Premier League champions Manchester City were held to a 2-2 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday, dropping points and damaging their hopes of playing European football next season.


Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush scored for Pep Guardiola's side, but Brighton levelled through a second-half own goal from City defender Abdukodir Khusanov after Pervis Estupiñán had opened the scoring for the visitors.


The draw, which felt like a defeat, left City provisionally fifth in the table on 48 points after 29 games. Brighton are a point adrift in seventh.


"I feel personally very disappointed," City midfielder Ilkay Gündogan said. "After getting twice in front and actually playing quite well. It's a bit frustrating to not get the three points."

City survived an early scare when Kaoru Mitoma celebrated what he thought was a goal for the visitors, only for VAR to rule that the ball had touched the midfielder's arm and the goal was disallowed.


Haaland scored his 21st league goal of the season from the penalty spot in the 11th minute, sending goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen the wrong way after Marmoush was brought down by Adam Webster.


The 24-year-old made history by becoming the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals in 94 appearances. Alan Shearer had achieved the feat in 100 games.


Estupinan levelled the scores 10 minutes later with his first league goal since December 2023, beating goalkeeper Stefan Ortega with a brilliant free-kick from 22 yards that flew in off the post.

City regained the lead through Marmoush in the 39th minute when Ilkay Gundogan slipped the ball into the stride of the Egyptian, who unleashed a thunderous shot into the roof of the net.


Khusanov did well to keep out Webster's header from a corner shortly after the break. The goal was the 40th City have conceded in the league this season, the most in a single campaign under Guardiola.


There were near-misses for both sides in the closing stages. City's Nico Gonzalez saw a header hit the post and Brighton's Carlos Baleba wasted a simple chance, sending the ball over the bar as manager Fabian Hurzeler shook his head in disbelief and Baleba fell to his knees.

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