When asked what changed the game at Falmer Stadium on the evening of 31/8, Guardiola replied, "The penalty. We forgot how to play and ruined the game. We conceded a goal and became unsettled. The problem isn't how good the opponent is, but that we forgot how to keep playing. You can't stop playing.".
Man City dominated Brighton early in the match and opened the scoring when Erling Haaland finished from close range in the 37th minute. In contrast, the home team posed no threat until coach Fabian Hurzeler brought on four substitutes after the break, including James Milner and Brajan Gruda.
In the 65th minute, the turning point occurred when Lewis Dunk's volley struck Matheus Nunes' hand in the penalty area, resulting in a penalty that Milner converted. After conceding the first goal, Man City lost control of the game. In the 89th minute, following a counter-attack through the middle, Gruda sealed a 2-1 victory for Brighton.
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Guardiola disappointed in Brighton's 2-1 victory over Man City on the evening of 31/8. Photo: Reuters |
Guardiola disappointed in Brighton's 2-1 victory over Man City on the evening of 31/8. Photo: Reuters
According to Guardiola, changing the game plan after conceding a goal is normal in the Premier League. However, with Man City, the problem was that the players weren't composed enough to continue playing as they had in the first 60 minutes.
"We decided to play longer and more direct balls. That's fine, but you have to be ready for what happens next. Playing that way against Brighton, we weren't prepared to win the second ball," Guardiola added.
Rodri, who made his first Premier League start after nearly a year out with injury, echoed his coach's sentiments: "We made some childish mistakes. The players weren't focused and attentive. We have to improve if we want to compete for the title this season.".
Man City began the 2025-2026 Premier League season with a 4-0 win over Wolves, but were quickly brought back down to earth with two losses against Tottenham (2-0) and Brighton (2-1). Two defeats in the first three rounds are a warning sign for the team that has won the championship six times in the last eight seasons. In the next two rounds, Man City will host Man Utd and visit Arsenal.
Thanh Quy (Independent)
