Brighton Verbijsts Manchester City to extend the misery of Guardiola; West Ham illuminates the pressure on Potter

Manchester City blew the lead in a shock 1-2 defeat in Brighton who expanded his troubled start of the Premier League season.

The striker, Erling Haaland, marked his 100th Premier League performance with his 88th goal in the competition since he joined Borussia Dortmund in 2022.

But the third goal of the 25-year-old this season was not enough to help Pep Guardiola’s side bouncing back from last weekend’s 2-0 home defeat against Tottenham.

The second half of James Milner has drawn Brighton level before the late strike by Brajan Gruda completed the collapse of the city.

Spain -midfielder Rodri made his first start of the competition for City since he had sustained a serious knee injury against Arsenal in September 2024.

But Ballon d’Or holder Rodri, who had also started a Club World Cup match in the summer, could not inspire the city until his second victory of the season.

Haaland should have given the city an early lead after cleaning racing, but he moved a tame shot directly to Bart Verbruggen.

He also just struck 18 meters after a flowing city movement.

Norway’s striker missed another chance with a weak header from the cross of Rayan Ait-Nouri, making Bart Verbruggen a chance to bring it to safety.

Haaland persisted and pierced the defense of Brighton in the 34th minute, who stuck past Verbruggen up close after Omar Marmoush had produced the ball in his path.

Haaland forced Verbruggen just before half -time in a misused permission, but Rodri tanned the chance.

Matheus Nunes handed Brighton a lifeline in the 67th minute. Lewis Dunk made Bernardo Silva’s attempt to mark him and shot a shot that blocked nunes with his arm away from his body.

Milner sent James Trafford in the wrong way with a clinical fine before copying Diogo’s goal celebration in honor of his former teammate of Liverpool, who died in July in a car accident.

It was the first Premier League goal of the 39-year-old since 2019, making him the second oldest score in the history of the competition behind Teddy Sheringham, who was 40 when he established the album.

City was in disorder and the German younger Gruda had it paid in the area in the 89th minute and broke in the area before he delivered a composed finish to wake up wild parties while Guardiola looked in disbelief.

Hammers Batter Forest

In Sunday’s other early game, West Ham illuminated the pressure on Baas Graham Potter with a 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest.

Potter had confronted with calls for his looting after West Ham had admitted eight goals in two consecutive defeats of top flight and then collapsed from the League Cup near Wolves.

Former Chelsea and Brighton -Baas Potter, who has been in charge of the Hammers since January, may have earned a stay of execution thanks to their late goals on the city.

England Vooruit Jarrod Bowen curled at home from 18 meters in the 84th minute.

Lucas Paqueta converted an 88th minute penalty after Crysencio Summerville was polluted by Ibrahim Sangare.

Callum Wilson sealed the first victory of the Hammers this season with a 90th minute header.

The first defeat of Forest this season came after Baas Nuno Espirito Santo criticized the club’s transfer policy and admitted that his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis suffered.

Nuno led Forest to Europe for the first time in 30 years after an impressive seventh place last season.

Published August 31, 2025