Man City 0-1 Brighton: Ayari scores early, Verbruggen makes seven saves and Brighton beat City again
Three days after losing a cup shootout at the Etihad, Brighton came back and won. Yasin Ayari scored after 11 minutes, Bart Verbruggen made seven saves and Erling Haaland failed to score for the first time this season. Brighton move up to 19 points; City stay top, but only on goals with Arsenal still to play.
Brighton have done it again. Three days after losing on penalties in the Carabao Cup at the same ground, Fabian Hürzeler's side beat Manchester City 1-0 at the Etihad on Saturday 31 October — and City's search for a 90-minute win over Brighton goes on.
The goal
| Minute | Event |
|---|---|
| 11' | Yasin Ayari 0-1 — Maxim De Cuyper's cross from the right is poorly cleared by Matheus Nunes and Ayari scores into an empty net |
| 22' | Iliman Ndiaye heads wide from Elliot Anderson's cross |
| Late 1st half | Lewis Dunk blocks Haaland's best chance |
| Early 2nd half | De Cuyper shoots wide with only Gianluigi Donnarumma to beat |
| 2nd half | Haaland heads several chances straight at Bart Verbruggen |
Verbruggen's afternoon
City had 19 shots (five on target), three big chances and an expected-goals total of 1.72, but Bart Verbruggen saved everything: seven saves. Brighton came into the game with the league's third-best defensive record and showed why.
A rare blank for Haaland
Erling Haaland, rested for Wednesday's cup tie, had a quiet first half, with the fewest touches of any player on the pitch. Dunk blocked his best chance before the break, and he headed several chances straight at Verbruggen afterwards. It was his first game without a goal since Norway's Nations League defeat to Portugal.
Maresca's changes didn't work
Enzo Maresca dropped Marc Guéhi and started Abdukodir Khusanov and Matheus Nunes. Nunes' poor clearance led to the goal. Young midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi was replaced by Rayan Cherki after 55 minutes, and Iliman Ndiaye, still without a goal in 12 games since his move from Everton, came off with 11 minutes left.
The record goes on
Since the start of 2024-25, City have beaten 21 of the 22 top-flight clubs they have played. Brighton remain the exception, and now they have beaten City as well. See our preview of the rematch and the cup report.
The table
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 9 | 21 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 8 | 21 |
| 3 | Brighton | 9 | 19 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 9 | 16 |
| 5 | Liverpool | 8 | 15 |
City are first, but Arsenal have a game in hand at Liverpool on Sunday — see the team news. It is City's second league defeat in a row, after losing at Aston Villa.
FAQ
What was the score in Man City v Brighton? Brighton won 1-0 at the Etihad on Saturday 31 October. Yasin Ayari scored after 11 minutes.
Did Haaland score against Brighton? No. It was his first game without a goal this season, since Norway's Nations League defeat to Portugal.
How many saves did Verbruggen make? Seven, as City had 19 shots.
Where are City and Brighton in the table? City are top with 21 points from nine games, level with Arsenal, who have played one fewer. Brighton are third with 19.
