Brighton vs Man City LIVE: Premier League result and final score after Julio Enciso wondergoal
Brighton 1-1 Manchester City: The Seagulls will be in the Europa League next season after holding the champions to a thrilling draw on the south coast
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Champions Manchester City’s 12-match winning streak in the Premier League came to an end as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Brighton , who secured Europa League football for next season.
Treble-chasing City, who wrapped up a fifth title in six seasons at the weekend, lacked their usual intensity but took the lead when Phil Foden slotted home in the 25th minute.
Brighton have sealed sixth-place and the club’s first venture into Europe, and showed why with some vibrant football and Julio Enciso equalised for the hosts with a stunning long-range effort in the 38th minute.
Danny Welbeck had a goal ruled out before halftime for Brighton and Erling Haaland thought he had put City ahead late on but was penalised for shirt-pulling after a VAR check.
It was the first time since February that City had dropped points and with one league game left at Brentford on Sunday they have 89 points, eight more than Arsenal.
Follow all the action as Brighton host Man City in the Premier League:
Brighton vs Man City
Brighton have lost 21 midweek Premier League fixtures since their promotion in 2017, more than any other side.
Teenagers have scored 10 Premier League goals for the club this campaign, one more than the other 19 teams combined.
Brighton vs Man City
Pep Guardiola’s side have won 25 successive league matches played on a Wednesday since a 2-1 defeat at Leicester City on Boxing Day 2018.
City can keep three consecutive Premier League clean sheets for the first time since December 2021.
Brighton vs Man City
Brighton are guaranteed to record their highest top-flight finish, surpassing their previous best of ninth last season. They have equalled the club top-flight record for most home wins in a season having also registered 10 in 1980/81.
Man City’s quest for legitimacy is a battle they may never win
A great was considering the question of greatness. A manager who, even by his own definition, has done the exceptional, accepted he is deemed unfulfilled. Pep Guardiola has reached the stage where his Premier League titles feel routine.
In a way, they are: he has five in six seasons. The abnormal has started to appear normal, the extraordinary ordinary. Perhaps the Manchester City manager wanted a greater recognition of the achievement. Or maybe he was reflecting the wider commentary about his reign.
“To be considered one of the greatest in Europe we have to win the Champions League, otherwise people will say our time here is not complete,” he said. “There is a part that sometimes can be unfair for the fact you have to win the Champions League to give credit or value to what we have done. It would not be fair to say it’s not extraordinary what we have done with five Premier Leagues in six. In world football, all managers in the Premier League, the players, sporting directors and clubs, they know how exceptional it is.”
Man City’s quest for legitimacy is a battle they may never win
The Premier League champions have been irresistible over the second half of the season but there is still more to prove, still more to win, still more questions to answer
Brighton vs Man City
Man City have earned 12 straight league victories since a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on 18th February.
However, City dropped points in five of their seven Premier League away fixtures this season against the other teams in the top half of the table (won two, drew two, lost three)
Brighton vs Man City
A win would ensure Manchester City reach 90 points or more in a Premier League season for a record fourth time.
Brighton vs Man City team changes
Roberto De Zerbi makes four changes to the the Brighton team that defeated Southampton at the weekend. Billy Gilmour, Danny Welbeck, Jan Paul Van Hecke and Facundo Buonanotte all come in to replace Evan Ferguson, Alexis Mac Allister, Lewis Dunk and Joel Veltman.
Pep Guardiola meanwhile makes six changes to the Man City side that beat Chelsea last time out. Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker, Rico Lewis, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez all keep their places.
Brighton vs Man City line-ups
Brighton XI: Steele, Gross, Van Hecke, Colwill, Estupinan, Caicedo, Gilmour, Mitoma, Enciso, Buonanotte, Welbeck
Man City XI: Ortega, Walker, Stones, Rodrigo, Lewis, Gundogan, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Foden, Haaland
Brighton vs Man City
Brighton require one point from their final two games to be mathematically sure of a place in next season’s Europa League. Next season they will be the first English club to make their debut in European competition since Hull City in 2014.
Pep Guardiola expecting City’s intensity to drop but warns of challenges to come
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expects an inevitable drop off in intensity from his players now the Premier League has been retained but warned them that major challenges still lie in wait.
A fifth title in six years was attained following Arsenal’s defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, which essentially gave City three ‘free’ games until the end of the domestic campaign.
They have already dispensed with Chelsea and Brighton follow on Wednesday before Brentford on the final day, but the bigger picture is the FA Cup final against Manchester United and the Champions League final against Inter Milan.
Pep Guardiola expecting City’s intensity to drop but warns of challenges to come
The recently-crowned Premier League champions have the FA Cup and Champions League finals to come.
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