Manchester City were unable to break their recent poor form on Wednesday, drawing 1-1 with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium. The result extends their winless run in the Premier League to three games and allows Arsenal to maintain a five-point advantage at the top of the table.
The deadlock was broken in the 41st minute when Erling Haaland scored from the penalty spot. Jeremy Doku had been brought down by Diego Gomez in the Brighton box, and after a VAR check confirmed the infringement, Haaland stepped up to convert. The goal was a relief for the striker, who had gone three games without scoring, and it represented his 150th goal for Manchester City and his 20th in the Premier League this season.
City began the second period with intent, almost doubling their lead when Bernardo Silva intercepted a loose Brighton pass. The midfielder found himself with only the goalkeeper to beat, but his shot struck the post and bounced to safety. The match’s temperature increased when City’s Gianluigi Donnarumma and Brighton’s Maxim De Cuyper became embroiled in a heated exchange, with the referee showing yellow cards to both players.
Brighton restored parity in the 60th minute through a well-executed finish from Kaoru Mitoma. The Japanese winger received a pass from the wing, took a touch to control the ball at the edge of the area, and guided a low shot into the far corner with excellent technique, leaving Donnarumma helpless.
The visitors assumed control after equalizing, dictating the tempo and creating several opportunities to snatch a winner. Mitoma was at the heart of Brighton’s best chance, setting up Gomez inside the penalty area, but the midfielder’s shot was saved by Donnarumma. Mitoma attempted to convert the rebound from a tight angle, but his effort struck the woodwork. In the closing stages, Haaland had a golden opportunity to win the match when he found himself alone against Verbruggen, but the Brighton goalkeeper produced a fine save to preserve the draw.