Brighton Beats City, Narrows Title Gap
Yasin Ayari scored the only goal as Brighton ended a long drought against Manchester City.
By Jason Lee ·
Brighton held off Manchester City for a 1-0 victory on Saturday, dropping the league leader to within two points of the top spot.
Yasin Ayari struck in the 11th minute to give the Seagulls the lead. It was the first away win Brighton has recorded against City across 18 previous attempts. The result avenges a recent League Cup loss where City won on penalties despite Brighton holding two leads at the Etihad Stadium.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side defended deep in the second half. Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen made key saves to preserve the lead against a sustained attack from the visitors. Jack Hinshelwood hit the side netting late in the match, offering a final chance to extend the margin.
This marks City’s second consecutive Premier League defeat. They previously won their first seven league games under manager Enzo Maresca. The loss keeps pressure on Maresca as he takes over from Pep Guardiola.
City faces a separate challenge beyond the pitch. The club has appealed a guilty verdict on more than 100 charges related to financial rule breaches. If the appeal fails, a major points deduction or relegation could follow.
Arsenal can move to the top of the table on Sunday if they do not lose their match at Liverpool.
Source: Al Jazeera
