Manchester City were left frustrated on Wednesday as they failed to capitalise on their chances in a 1-1 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium. The result marks City’s third consecutive league draw and sees them fall five points behind Arsenal in the Premier League title race, with the leaders on 48 points.
Erling Haaland gave the hosts the lead four minutes before halftime, converting from the penalty spot after Jeremy Doku was brought down by Diego Gomez. Following a VAR review that confirmed the decision, Haaland confidently scored his 150th goal for Manchester City and his 20th in the Premier League this season, ending a three-match period without finding the net.
City came close to doubling their advantage early in the second half when Bernardo Silva pounced on a Brighton defensive mistake, but his shot struck the post in what proved to be a crucial moment in the match. The game became contentious when goalkeepers Gianluigi Donnarumma and Maxim De Cuyper clashed, with both receiving yellow cards.
Brighton equalised on the hour mark through Kaoru Mitoma, who demonstrated excellent composure to guide a low shot into the far corner from the edge of the penalty area. The Japanese winger received a pass from wide and took his time to pick his spot, beating Donnarumma with a precisely placed effort.
After levelling the score, Brighton seized control and nearly completed a remarkable comeback when Mitoma’s angled shot from near the byline struck the post. In the dying minutes, Haaland had a golden opportunity to secure all three points for City, but Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen produced a superb save to deny him and ensure his team earned a well-deserved point.