Brighton 2–1 Man City: Repeat at the Amex

Sunday 31 August 2025

City rolled up to the Amex with their usual luggage: a mountain of silverware, a conveyor belt of talent, and Erling Haaland doing his best impression of a Norse deity. It took him until the 34th minute to mark his 100th Premier League appearance with yet another goal, his third in as many games this season. Same story, same headline: Haaland scores, City cruise. Except… not this time.

Brighton didn’t bother with the whole “plucky losers” script. Just after the hour, Lewis Dunk let fly, Matheus Nunes tried to block, and the ball met his arm instead. Penalty. Enter James Milner, age 39 years and 239 days, proving that time is a social construct when you’ve been drinking kale smoothies since 2002. He buried it. Oldest player ever to score a Premier League penalty, second-oldest scorer in league history, and then he went full theatre: pulling out Diogo Jota’s iconic video-game celebration and lifting a No 20 shirt in tribute to his late friend. The Amex didn’t just roar, it melted.

That would have been enough for a fairy-tale. But Brighton apparently wanted to make Guardiola’s post-match interview sound like a philosophy seminar on existential collapse. In the 89th minute, substitute Brajan Gruda ghosted in behind City’s defence, rounded poor James Trafford, and slotted home the winner. Cue limbs, spilled pints, and a thousand seagulls shrieking in unison.

Guardiola, looking like someone had just unplugged his espresso machine, admitted City “forgot to play.” Translation: Brighton’s tactical tweak rattled his champions into lumping hopeful long balls like a relegation struggler. City slumped to a second defeat in three league matches. Brighton, meanwhile, finally claimed their first win of the season and a spot in the headlines usually reserved for Pep’s latest lecture on positional play.

Final score: Brighton 2–1 Manchester City.

Scorers: Haaland (34′), Milner (pen 67′), Gruda (89′).

Milestone: James Milner, officially the oldest Premier League penalty scorer.

Takeaway: Brighton refused the script, City forgot their lines, and football delivered the plot twist we live for, what a joy it was going home