Manchester City's losing streak continues as Brighton stage a comeback | first division

Pep Guardiola seemed not to know what had hit him. As Brighton players and supporters wildly celebrated Matt O'Riley's winning goal, the city ​​of manchester The manager must have been contemplating an experience he had never had in almost 20 years as a manager.

A fourth consecutive defeat for the first time in his career would have been especially difficult to swallow given how much his team had dominated Brighton in the first half. But João Pedro sparked a stunning comeback from Fabian Hürzeler's side, who equalized Erling Haaland's opener before setting up fellow substitute O'Riley five minutes later.

It was especially sweet for the midfielder: making his first division He made his debut after picking up an injury just nine minutes into his Brighton career in August following his move from Celtic in the summer. How O'Riley relished his moment allowing the home fans to serenade City's beleaguered manager with chants of “You'll be sacked in the morning” as they closed in on a memorable victory.

Guardiola had promised his team would learn from their mistakes against Sporting in midweek and sprung a surprise by retaining teenager Jahmai Simpson-Pusey in an unprecedented central defense partnership alongside Josko Gvardiol. Everything seemed to be going well until João Pedro came off the bench with 25 minutes remaining and, along with the rest of Hürzeler's substitutes, proceeded to change the game.

The Brighton manager described his first meeting with the reigning Premier League champions as a chance for his team to challenge the establishment and was proud of the way they responded to being forced to chase shadows in the opening 45 minutes.

The introduction of Carlos Baleba in the second half changed the game, as City fell further and further back and Guardiola must have feared the worst. He left the field involved in an exchange of words with Jan Paul van Hecke after the Brighton defender collided with Haaland in stoppage time as City desperately sought an equaliser.

The visitors dominated the opening minutes, as the dangerous Savinho repeatedly found space behind Pervis Estupiñán. Bart Verbruggen was saved from opening the scoring after a burst into the area before Haaland took an uncharacteristic deflection from a Phil Foden free-kick as he only managed to clear the ball away from danger. But City looked much more like their usual self and it seemed only a matter of time until they scored.

The goal came quickly after 23 minutes when a beautiful move from Mateo Kovacic gave him space in midfield to slot the perfect pass to Haaland, who charged in from close range after Verbruggen had made the initial save. The Brighton goalkeeper was fortunate that the Norwegian's next shot after a Foden assist came off his heel and bounced off the post before Haaland headed in the resulting corner.

Brighton's only sight of goal was a Kaoru Mitoma shot that went harmlessly wide and they had no reply as City enjoyed over 70% of the possession. Kovacic was next to force Verbruggen into action from distance, but the hosts could well have had a penalty when Gvardiol's hand blocked Danny Welbeck's shot on the ground after Walker had misjudged a bouncing ball. The Brighton striker was unhappy and could only direct a free kick just wide of Ederson's post after Rico Lewis was booked for bringing him down.

Hürzeler said in a television interview at half-time that his team had to show more courage and they came out firing. Mitoma could only direct a gentle header on target from a Georgino Rutter cross before Jack Hinshelwood should have done better from an Estupiñán cross at the end of a fluid move started by Mitoma.

City suddenly looked nervous, but responded by attacking again. Haaland almost became Savinho's supplier if it had not been for a desperate clearance by Estupiñán at the far post. Rutter's last involvement was to head another dangerous ball over the crossbar into the City box as Hürzeler lofted over João Pedro and Brajan Gruda and went into full attack mode. But the Brazilian made a mistake when he was played in goal and couldn't force Ederson to make another save.

Kevin De Bruyne was introduced in his first league appearance since mid-September as City tried to regain control, but Guardiola's anxiety only grew with each Brighton attack. He was right to look concerned when they made a mess of clearing a Mitoma cross and João Pedro pounced on the loose ball to equalise. There was no doubting the quality of the winning goal when a one-two between Welbeck and João Pedro allowed O'Riley to steal the headlines.

Gvardiol came closest to rescuing a point for City nine minutes into stoppage time, but there was no turning back as City and Guardiola had to contemplate the unthinkable.