Man City 1-1 Brighton Player Ratings: Haaland Scores 150th Goal for Club but Cityzens Held to Draw

Manchester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion in a thrilling Premier League fixture. Pep Guardiola’s side dictated the game for most of the time, but the winning goal never came.

Erling Haaland finally found the breakthrough after going goalless in three straight games. The Manchester City striker registered his 150th goal for the club when he scored from the penalty spot in the 41st minute against Brighton. Diego Gomez fouled Jeremy Doku inside the box, which earned Man City the penalty in the crucial Premier League fixture at home.

Despite conceding the goal in the first half, Brighton & Hove Albion were in no mood to surrender. Their efforts finally paid off at the hour mark when Kaoru Mitoma brought the equaliser for Brighton to make things level.

The Brighton defence looked a bit shaky late in the second half, but Manchester City were unable to find the winner. The Man City vs Brighton Premier League game finally ended in a 1-1 draw.

Below, check out Man City vs Brighton player ratings from the EPL fixture.

Key Takeaways:

1. Erling Haaland scored from the penalty spot to give Manchester City the lead in the first half.
2. Kaoru Mitoma equalised for Brighton in the second half to keep the game alive.
3. Manchester City kept pushing for a winner, but the Premier League match ended in a 1–1 draw.

Man City Player Ratings vs Brighton

Here are Man City player ratings from the Manchester City vs Brighton match:

Goalkeeper

Gianluigi Donnarumma - 6.0: Couldn't do much about the goal, it was a fantastic strike. He made a couple of routine saves otherwise. What stood out to us was the needless yellow card he picked up, which was just a sign of frustration creeping in. An okay day, but not one for the highlight reel.

Defenders

Nathan Aké - 6.5: A solid and dependable shift from Aké before he was substituted. He was composed in possession and even delivered a great cross for a Haaland chance. He didn't put a foot wrong defensively. You know what you're getting with him.

Abdukodir Khusanov - 7.0: We were really impressed with this guy. He looked incredibly calm under pressure, passing the ball with precision. Winning 100% of his tackles and duels speaks volumes about his reading of the game. A very mature performance.

Max Alleyne - 7.5: Another young defender who really stepped up. He was a rock at the back, winning nine of his ten duels and making crucial tackles. What really caught our eye was his confidence on the ball, even creating a chance late on. A fantastic showing.

Matheus Nunes - 6.5: Deployed in a deeper role, he was neat and tidy. Kept the ball moving well but we felt he didn't offer that forward thrust City needed at times. A decent, if unspectacular, performance before being subbed.

Midfielders

Nico González - 7.0: This was a powerhouse performance in midfield for the time he was on. He was everywhere, making a staggering five interceptions and breaking up Brighton's play effectively. His passing was crisp. Seemed to tire a bit, which led to his substitution.

Tijjani Reijnders - 6.5: A busy performance. He was always involved, taking a few shots from distance, though none really tested the keeper. He kept the midfield ticking over but lacked that killer pass to unlock the Brighton defence. Did his job well.

Bernardo Silva - 7.0: The captain was a bundle of energy as always. He was so unlucky to see his shot cannon off the post early in the second half. Drew fouls, worked tirelessly, but will be disappointed to have missed a big chance. A typical Bernardo display.

Phil Foden - 7.0: Looked incredibly sharp and was City's main creative spark in the first half. He created two excellent chances and was a constant danger. We were a little surprised to see him taken off, as he seemed likely to make something happen.

Jérémy Doku - 8.3: What a player. From our perspective, he was City's best performer by a mile. He was simply electric, terrorising the Brighton defence all game. He won the penalty with his direct running and created three more chances. An absolute nightmare for defenders to face.

Forwards

Erling Haaland - 7.5: A strange day for the big Norwegian. He took his penalty with ice-cold precision. But with eight shots and a missed big chance, he'll feel he should have won the game single-handedly. His frustration was visible, a testament to his high standards.

Substitutes

Rodri, Rayan Cherki, Nico O'Reilly, Rico Lewis: The substitutes came on to try and find a winner but struggled to make a decisive impact against a resolute Brighton defence. They kept the pressure on but couldn't find that final breakthrough.

Manager

Josep Guardiola - 6.5: He set his team up to dominate, and they did. However, he'll be frustrated by the lack of a clinical edge. The decision to sub Foden was questionable, and the subsequent changes didn't unlock the stubborn opposition defence. A point feels like a loss for him.

Brighton Player Ratings vs Manchester City

Let's check out Brighton player ratings from Man City vs Brighton & Hove Albion game:

Goalkeeper

Bart Verbruggen - 7.0: He stood no chance with the penalty. Beyond that, he made three important saves to keep his team in the contest. His distribution was a bit shaky at times under City's press, but his shot-stopping was crucial for this result.

Defenders

Lewis Dunk - 6.5: A real captain's battle. He was under immense pressure and made some heroic blocks. He did get a yellow card and looked a bit overwhelmed by City's movement at times, but he never gave up. A gritty, determined performance.

Jan Paul van Hecke - 6.0: A very tough afternoon for him. He made a massive nine clearances, which tells you everything about the pressure he was under. However, he struggled against Haaland, committed fouls, and was booked. He battled hard but was on the ropes.

Jack Hinshelwood - 8.0: A fantastic performance from the youngster. Defensively, he was superb, even making a clearance off the line. He was composed and didn't look out of place against world-class opposition. A really mature and impressive display.

Maxim De Cuyper - 5.5: From our perspective, he had a torrid time against Jérémy Doku. He was constantly beaten, committed several fouls, and picked up a booking. He just couldn't handle the pace and trickery. A difficult afternoon's work.

Midfielders

Pascal Groß - 6.5: He was neat on the ball but struggled to dictate the tempo as he usually does. He worked hard defensively but picked up a booking for his troubles. A quiet game by his high standards, largely nullified by City's midfield.

Yasin Ayari - 7.0: A mixed performance but he delivered the game's defining moment of quality from a Brighton perspective. The assist for Mitoma's goal was sublime. He did have some sloppy moments, but that single pass made his inclusion worthwhile.

Diego Gómez - 5.0: A day he'll want to forget quickly. He was clumsy in conceding the penalty and looked off the pace throughout. Gave the ball away and was rightly substituted. The lowest rating on the pitch from us.

Kaoru Mitoma - 8.5: Brighton's hero and our man of the match. He scored an absolutely brilliant goal to draw his side level. He was also desperately unlucky to hit the crossbar. He provided the cutting edge and belief that earned Brighton this point.

Ferdi Kadıoğlu - 6.5: A really hard-working performance. He spent most of the match tracking back and helping his full-back. Had one shot on target but his main contribution was his defensive diligence and work rate. A selfless display.

Forwards

Georginio Rutter - 6.0: It was a tough and lonely job for him up front. He chased shadows for much of the game and was isolated. He held the ball up occasionally but struggled to make any real impact against City's dominant centre-backs.

Substitutes

Danny Welbeck, Brajan Gruda, Tom Watson, James Milner: The fresh legs helped Brighton see out the game. They provided energy and experience to help secure the hard-fought draw in the final stages of the match.

Manager

F. Hürzeler - 7.5: His game plan was spot on. He knew his team would suffer, but he organised them brilliantly to stay in the game. They were resilient, disciplined, and took their one big chance when it arrived. He'll be absolutely delighted with this result and performance.

Man of the Match in Man City vs Brighton

Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton & Hove Albion with 8.5/10 ratings.

Worst Performer in Man City vs Brighton

Diego Gomez of Brighton with 5/10 ratings.