Kaoru Mitoma flickered for Brighton while Pervis Estupiñán would zing a shot just wide. Ilkay Gündogan lashed past the far post while Foden’s replacement, Cole Palmer, blasted at Jason Steele. ![]() It was a pity that Foden was forced off at the start of the second half he had been in the mood. Welbeck had the ball in the net on 44 minutes only to be flagged offside and Foden headed inches off target at the other end. Enciso could not have placed the ball more perfectly had he stood underneath the crossbar and used his hands. He cut across the ball with his right boot there was dip and swerve but overall just purity. They kept on coming, from all angles and at speed.įacundo Buonanotte exploded past two City challenges to work Ortega and then Enciso detonated his 25-yard screamer. Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reutersīy then, the excellent Welbeck had bent a free-kick on to the crossbar with Stefan Ortega well beaten and it was not alone among Brighton’s early efforts. Phil Foden celebrates as he opens the scoring for Manchester City. Guardiola wanted comfort on the ball and superior numbers in a flexible midfield set-up.īrighton did what they normally do – quick, choreographed movements all highly technical – and it was a fascinating, frenetic watch, the chances flowing from the outset. Guardiola started Rodri in central defence alongside John Stones – to counter Brighton’s non-typical No 9s, Danny Welbeck and Enciso – with Rico Lewis at left-back under orders, of course, to step up and inside. It was stamped all over this latest performance, Guardiola forced to think creatively to have City in contention. What Guardiola likes about De Zerbi is his fearlessness, how his team risk the ball at the back to spring forward, their possession, their chance creation. Guardiola would be effusive in his praise of De Zerbi after the game and for good reason. The occasion was shaped by the love-in between Guardiola and De Zerbi, the former having described the latter on Tuesday as “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years.” Wow. It was not easy to agree with Guardiola the pull by Haaland looked clear. He ended up with a yellow card and a stinging post-match complaint, the gist of it being that if that was a foul by Haaland, then every action against him ought to be the same. When the replay was shown on the big screen, Guardiola would rage at the fourth official. It would be a different story on 79 minutes when Erling Haaland had a goal chalked off by the VAR for a shirt tug on Levi Colwill. ![]() He exchanged a high five with his Brighton counterpart, Roberto De Zerbi, the respect between the pair obvious.īrighton’s Julio Enciso unleashes a searing shot into the top corner. He applauded with his hands above his head before sweeping it across with his left foot, the years rolled back. There was a moment in the 72nd minute when Pep Guardiola came on to the pitch to return the ball for a City free-kick. They had 20 shots at the visitors’ goal – no opponent has attempted more over the campaign. What a goal it was from Enciso, the explosive climax to a patient and probing move.īrighton carried the fight to City, perhaps more than any other club have done this season. It was when Julio Enciso’s top-corner firecracker cancelled out Phil Foden’s opener for City. What a game this was, the first half in particular a rip-roaring spectacle, the thrills seemingly every minute. Just as it did for Brighton, the desire to put on a show – even after all of the shows that both clubs have staged during seasons they would justifiably describe as epic. But, really, it boiled down to professional pride. The answer for City, perhaps, was to showcase their winning mentality, to maintain momentum for the historic challenge ahead.
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