By Opta Analyst | Created at 2025-03-27 15:12:11 | Updated at 2025-04-05 02:18:52
1 week ago
Check out the best facts and Opta data from an enthralling game at the Etihad Stadium with our Man City vs Brighton stats page.
It was a game that had almost everything. A penalty, a goal from a free-kick, a disallowed goal, an own goal, cards, and huge missed chances galore but, ultimately, neither team could come out on top.
The result does little for either team’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, but there are arguably reasons for both to be satisfied with a point. For Brighton, a draw away to the champions – having gone behind twice – is always going to be a positive. However, they had the better chances and more of them, and given the late miss from Carlos Baleba, City may even be relieved to have avoided another damaging defeat.
In all, everyone may well leave this one content.
The game started off with history being made, as Erling Haaland struck to become the first player to reach 100 Premier League goal involvements in under 100 games. As is customary for the Norwegian, he smashed the previous record – held until this point by Alan Shearer, who needed 100 games – as he made it to triple figures in just his 94th Premier League appearance.
It was far from all smiles for the hosts, though, and the day very nearly got off to the worst possible start. Brighton had the ball in the net inside six minutes, only for referee Simon Hooper to adjudge – possibly harshly – that Kaoru Mitoma had knocked the ball out of City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega’s hands.
Less than three minutes later, City had the lead themselves. João Pedro had his pocket picked overplaying in midfield, and Haaland slipped Omar Marmoush in on the right. As the Egyptian cut back onto his left foot, the recovering Adam Webster slid in, took him down and conceded a penalty. Haaland made no mistake from the spot and, not for the first time in a City shirt, set a Premier League record.
Ten minutes later, though, Brighton were level, as Pervis Estupiñán curled a free-kick in off the post. However, a few eyebrows were raised in the direction of Ortega, who appeared to have been beaten rather easily by a set-piece struck on his side of the goal. It was was the first direct free-kick goal City have conceded at home in the Premier League since September 2013 (Wayne Rooney for Manchester United).
But Brighton then played themselves into trouble deep in their own half and they were punished, as Georginio Rutter gave the ball away and Marmoush struck with a powerful effort from the edge of the box to put City back in front. The goal was his fourth in the Premier League and meant that, despite only joining in January, he was up to fourth in the list of City’s top scorers for the season behind Haaland (21), Phil Foden (seven) and Josko Gvardiol (five).
Moments after half-time, though, Brighton were level yet again. An Estupiñán corner led to havoc in the City box and Jack Hinshelwood‘s effort rebounded into the net off an unfortunate Abdukodir Khusanov.
From there, City struggled to create much in open play, with Nico González hitting the post with a header from a corner, while Brighton will look back on some massive squandered chances with regret. Baleba, Hinshelwood and Yankuba Minteh all wasted opportunities they would hope to do better from, and in the end City may well feel like they got away with a poor defensive performance.
The result keeps the gap between the teams at one point, and both are still very much in the hunt for Champions League football.
Our Opta match centre delivers you all the Man City vs Brighton stats from their Premier League meeting at the Etihad Stadium.
The match centre below includes team and player stats, expected goals data, passing networks, an Opta chalkboard and more. It gives you everything you need to do your own post-match analysis.
Underneath the match centre you can find the official Opta stats on the game as well.
Man City vs Brighton: Post-Match Facts
- Abdukodir Khusanov’s own goal was the first scored by a Manchester City player in a Premier League home match since August 2022 (John Stones v Crystal Palace).
- Manchester City have dropped nine points from winning positions in Premier League home games this season, their most in a single campaign since 2008-09 (12).
- Brighton remain winless in their 15 league visits to Manchester City (D3 L12), with today’s draw the first time they’ve avoided defeat since December 1982 (1-1 at Maine Road).
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