Man City Held Again: Haaland Milestone Overshadowed as Brighton Stall Title Charge

Manchester City’s Premier League title defence hit another roadblock as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium, making it three successive league games without a win for Pep Guardiola’s side.[1][4]

Erling Haaland gave City the lead from the penalty spot late in the first half, scoring his 150th goal for the club in all competitions and underlining his status as their main attacking force.[2][5] However, Kaoru Mitoma’s composed second-half finish earned Brighton a deserved point and further dented City’s hopes of reeling in league leaders Arsenal.[1][4][5]

The result keeps City on 43 points from 21 matches, leaving them under growing pressure in the title race as Arsenal have the chance to extend their advantage at the top in their next fixture.[1][5] For Brighton, the draw lifts them to 29 points and underlines their reputation as one of the league’s most awkward opponents for the traditional giants.[1][5]

Brighton started confidently against a makeshift City back line that featured 20-year-old defender Max Alleyne, recently recalled from loan and handed a daunting Premier League debut.[1][6] The visitors created early chances, with Pascal Gross and Ferdi Kadioglu both forcing saves from Gianluigi Donnarumma as City struggled to impose their usual control.[2][4][5]

City gradually grew into the contest, but for long spells they were limited to half-chances, including efforts from Bernardo Silva and Haaland that failed to seriously trouble Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.[2][4] The game’s momentum shifted just before half-time when Jérémy Doku went down in the box under a challenge from Diego Gómez, prompting strong protests from City’s bench.[2][4]

Referee Thomas Bramall initially waved play on and booked Pep Guardiola amid heated exchanges on the touchline, but the decision was overturned after a VAR review, and a penalty was awarded to City.[2][4] Haaland stepped up and drilled the spot-kick into the bottom corner, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead and seemingly putting them on course to end their mini-slump.[2][5]

City almost doubled their advantage soon after the opener, with Tijjani Reijnders seeing a goal-bound effort cleared off the line as the champions briefly found their familiar attacking rhythm.[2][5] Bernardo Silva then went close again early in the second half, capitalising on a Brighton error only to see his shot come back off the outside of the post.[2][4]

Yet Brighton refused to fade. Mitoma, making only his second start since returning from a two-month injury layoff earlier in the season, began to find dangerous positions on the left.[4][5] Just before the hour mark, he struck: collecting the ball near the edge of the area, Mitoma fired a low shot into the bottom corner past Donnarumma to level the match at 1-1.[1][4][5]

The equaliser exposed City’s recent fragility after half-time, a phase in games where they have been unusually vulnerable in this campaign.[5][6] Brighton almost completed a dramatic turnaround moments later when Mitoma burst into the box and squared for Diego Gómez, only for the forward to mis-kick badly in front of goal and let City off the hook.[4]

Guardiola’s side pushed hard for a winner in the closing stages and created enough chances to have taken all three points. Haaland had a header cleared off the line by Kadioglu and later fired straight at Verbruggen after being played through by Rayan Cherki.[2][5] Cherki himself wasted further openings as City’s finishing deserted them at key moments.[4][5]

Brighton, for their part, defended resolutely in the final minutes, with Jan Paul van Hecke particularly impressive at the heart of their back line and later recognised as one of the standout performers.[5][6] The visitors also continued to pose a threat on the counter, ensuring City could never fully commit bodies forward without risk.[5][6]

From a statistical perspective, City dominated possession and attempts on goal but were undermined by their lack of ruthlessness, a recurring theme in recent weeks.[5] The draw follows similar frustrations against Sunderland and Chelsea, making this the third consecutive league match in which City have failed to convert promising positions into victories.[4][5]

Injuries have also played a role in City’s stuttering start to 2026. Central defenders Joško Gvardiol and Rúben Dias are both sidelined with significant issues, forcing Guardiola to reshuffle his defence and accelerate the development of younger players like Alleyne.[4] While Donnarumma produced important early saves to keep Brighton at bay, the unsettled back line contributed to the nervousness that spread through the team whenever Brighton attacked.[4][5]

For Brighton, this result highlights the progress under head coach Fabian Hürzeler, whose side combined tactical bravery with defensive discipline at one of the most difficult away grounds in the league.[2][4] The return to form of Mitoma, alongside the influence of experienced figures such as Gross, offers further encouragement as Brighton aim to push for a top-half finish.[4][5]

For fans in India following the Premier League title race, this draw adds another twist. City, so often relentless in the second half of seasons, now face a more uphill battle to close the gap at the top, with little margin for further slips.[4][5] Meanwhile, Arsenal’s opportunity to move further clear intensifies interest in their upcoming matches among neutral viewers and supporters alike.

As the campaign enters its decisive phase, City must quickly rediscover their cutting edge, while Brighton will see this point as proof they can compete with the league’s strongest squads and disrupt the hierarchy whenever they get their tactical plan right.[4][5][6]