Erling Haaland marked his 150th goal for Manchester City, but Pep Guardiola’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton, raising fresh concerns over their Premier League title challenge.
City started the year poorly, struggling with injuries and inconsistent performances, allowing Arsenal to pull ahead at the top of the table. Brighton looked dangerous early on, with Pascal Gross heading just wide and Ferdi Kadioglu denied by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Georginio Rutter also had a chance, only to be stopped by a brilliant last-ditch tackle from Abdukodir Khusanov.
City finally took the lead in the 41st minute when Haaland converted a penalty after Jeremy Doku was fouled in the box by Diego Gomez. The goal was a milestone for Haaland, marking his 150th for City and the Premier League’s 35,000th since its inception in 1992.
In the second half, Bernardo Silva nearly doubled City’s advantage, hitting the post, but Brighton fought back through Kaoru Mitoma, who finished beautifully from the edge of the area. Despite further chances for both sides, including a missed opportunity by Gomez, the score remained 1-1.
The draw marks City’s third consecutive stalemate, leaving Guardiola’s men under pressure as Arsenal have the chance to extend their lead at the top if they beat Liverpool. Manchester City’s title hopes now hang in the balance as they look to regain momentum.
