31 AUGUST 2025
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 2 - MANCHESTER CITY 1
PREMIER LEAGUE - at the AMERICAN EXPRESS STADIUM, FALMER
Premier Matchday 3 saw Albion welcome Manchester City to the South Coast for a league encounter at the Amex, "live" in front of the Sky Sports cameras and broadcast over the airwaves on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
Last time out in the Premier the Albion had lost 0-2 at Everton on the 24 August and for City's visit the Albion made three changes to their starting line-up from that game, with Joel Veltman, Jack Hinshelwood and Diego Gomez coming in for Mats Wieffer, Yasin Ayari and Matt O'Riley.
Subsequent to the Everton game, the Albion enjoyed an emphatic 6-0 victory at Oxford United in the Carabao Cup on the 27 August.
In their previous outing in the Premier, City had lost 0-2 at home to Tottenham Hotspur on the 23 August and for the visit to the Amex Manager Pep Guardiola made four changes to his starting line-up from the Tottenham game, with Matheus Nunes, Abdukodir Khusanov, Bernardo Silva and Rodri replacing Rico Lewis, Ruben Dias, Nico Gonzalez and Rayan Cherki.
Last season the Albion were unbeaten against City in the Premier, winning 2-1 at the Amex on the 9 November 2024. In the reverse fixture at the Etihad on the 15 March 2025 the teams drew 2-2.
With Albion looking for their first win of the season, it was City who created the first chance when Erling Haaland was sent clear but the Norwegian's weak shot went straight to Albion keeper Bart Verbruggen, who saved easily. An Albion counter saw Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck combine to put Kaoru Mitoma in the clear but the winger's low shot saw City keeper James Trafford produce a fine save to divert the shot. Haaland then failed to convert two further chances, placing his shot wide and then having a header kept out by Verbruggen. However, on 34 minutes the visitors did take the lead when close control by Omar Marmoush in he box ended with the ball falling to Haaland who this time chipped the ball past Verbruggen to put his team ahead. 0-1. On chances created, City deserved to be in front at the break.
Half-time 0-1.
The second-half started in the same vein, with the Seagulls finding it difficult to penetrate the City rearguard, so on the hour mark, Albion Head Coach Fabian Hurzeler made a bold quadruple substitution, which would subsequently change the course of the Albion game, with James Milner, Yasin Ayari, Brajan Gruda and Georginio Rutter replacing Carlos Baleba, Jack Hinshelwood, Diego Gomez and Danny Welbeck.
The changes worked a treat as Minteh's volley was turned over the bar by Trafford and then on 67 minutes Referee Darren England awarded Albion a penalty after Matheus Nunes had handled Lewis Dunk's cross. The evergreen James Milner stepped-up to slam home the penalty-kick. It was Milner's first goal for the Albion in the Premier and his first in the top-flight since December 2019. At 39 years and 239 days Milner is the second oldest scorer in the Premier League, behind Teddy Sheringham. 1-1.
It was all Albion now and City keeper Trafford made excellent saves to keep out goal-bound efforts from Rutter, Gruda and and Jan Paul Van Hecke. The transformation in Albion's game had been remarkable. Better was to follow on 89 minutes as Mitoma's exquisite through pass found the on-running Gruda and the German Under-21 international dribbled past three City defenders, then round keeper Trafford before slotting the ball home for Albion's winner. A superb goal and the Amex went wild. 2-1. The second season running Albion had beaten City 2-1 at the Amex.
Final-score 2-1.
Match stats:
Albion had 12 attempts at goal, with 7 on target and won 3 corners, free-kicks conceded - 16.
Manchester City had 12 attempts at goal, with 3 on target and won 2 corners, free-kicks conceded - 14.
VERDICT - For the first hour of this game the Albion were very ordinary but the quadruple substitution by Fabian Hurzeler on the hour changed all that. The changes breathed new life into the Seagulls and after the hour mark there was only one team going to win and that was the team in the blue and white stripes. Brajan Gruda (21), signed from Bundesliga side Mainz a year ago is developing into a player of quality and hopefully will get better. James Milner at 39+ shows what can be achieved, even at his age and is a fine example to the younger players.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Joel VELTMAN, Jan Paul VAN HECKE, Lewis DUNK (Capt), Maxim DE CUYPER; Carlos BALEBA (James MILNER 60), Jack HINSHELWOOD (Yasin AYARI 60); Yankuba MINTEH (Diego COPPOLA 95), Diego GOMEZ (Brajan GRUDA 60), Kaoru MITOMA; Danny WELBECK (Georginio RUTTER 60).
Subs not used: Jason STEELE (G/K), Olivier BOSCAGLI, Ferdi KADIOGLU, Matt O'RILEY.
Manchester City line-up (4-3-3):- James TRAFFORD; Matheus NUNES (Rico LEWIS 85), John STONES, Abdukodir KHUSANOV (Ruben DIAS 85), Rayan AIT-NOURI; Bernardo SILVA (Capt) (Nico O'REILLY 72), RODRI, Tijjani REIJNDERS; Oscar BOBB, Erling HAALAND, Omar MARMOUSH (Jeremy DOKU 72).
Subs not used: EDERSON (G/K), Manuel AKANJI, Nathan AKE, Nico GONZALEZ, Ilkay GUNDOGAN.
Referee: Darren England (Doncaster).
Fourth Official: Simon Hooper.
VAR Official: Paul Tierney.
Yellow Cards:
Albion: 2 - Joel Veltman, Jan Paul Van Hecke.
Manchester City: 2 - Abdukodir Khusanov, Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Possession: Albion - 37%. Manchester City - 63%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: James Milner (Albion).
Attendance: 31485.
NEXT GAME:
13 SEPTEMBER 2025 - AFC BOURNEMOUTH - Away - Premier League - kick-off 15.00.
ALBION TRANSFER ACTIVITY IN AND AROUND THE TRANSFER WINDOW
21 AUGUST - ANDREW MORAN - (21) - Midfielder - joined LOS ANGELES FC (USA) - on loan to January 2026;
29 AUGUST - ABDALLAH SIMA - (24) - Forward - joined LENS (FRANCE) - on a permanent deal - on undisclosed terms;
1 SEPT - TARIQ LAMPTEY - (24) - Defender - joined FIORENTINA (ITALY) - on a permanent deal - on undisclosed terms;
1 SEPT - JULIO ENCISO - (21) - Midfielder - joined STRASBOURG (FRANCE) - on a permanent deal - on undisclosed terms;
1 SEPT - FACUNDO BUONANOTTE - (20) - Midfielder - joined CHELSEA - on a season- long loan;
1 SEPT - JEREMY SARMIENTO - (23) - Forward - joined CREMONESE (ITALY) - on a season-long loan;
1 SEPT - IGOR JULIO - (27) - Defender - joined WEST HAM UNITED - on a season-long loan;
1 SEPT - MATT O'RILEY - (24) - Midfielder - joined OLYMPIQUE MARSEILLE (FRANCE) - on a season-long loan.
Jack Kaye.
4 September 2025.