City are 12th with three points from their opening three matches, while it was a first win of the campaign for Brighton, who climbed to 10th place with four points.
IMAGE: Brighton & Hove Albion’s Brajan Gruda nets the winner against Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Reuters
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Brajan Gruda snatched the winning goal a minute from time as the hosts beat Manchester City 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday, after a James Milner penalty cancelled out Erling Haaland’s opener, in a stunning turnaround.
Elsewhere, champions Liverpool struck an early-season title blow against rivals Arsenal in a 1-0 victory at Anfield thanks to Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning free-kick in the dying minutes.
Haaland put City in front with a well-worked goal after 34 minutes as he wriggled between two defenders to score from close range, his third goal in as many games this season.
Brighton levelled after the ball struck Matheus Nunes’ arm as he tried to protect his face from a cross and Milner drilled the spot kick home in the 67th to become the oldest scorer of a penalty in the Premier League at 39 years, 239 days.
The momentum had swung Brighton’s way by then and it was the home side who claimed the points when German midfielder Gruda beat the offside trap and rounded James Trafford in the City goal to score and condemn City to back-to-back league defeats.
City are 12th with three points from their opening three matches, while it was a first win of the campaign for Brighton, who climbed to 10th place with four points.
“We are not at the level for a long, long time,” City midfielder Rodri told Sky Sports. “The only way to come back is to look to ourselves. We started well but the second half we dropped a little bit.
“Then at home they have pressure and we make two mistakes and it’s 2-1.
“We are missing the level. It is a matter of the team and the changes, new players have to adapt, and of course when you change the team that much it is difficult. This is our reality.”
Brighton fans sang “Can we play you every week?” after repeating last season’s 2-1 win home over Pep Guardiola’s side.
“Unfortunately we have the international break. We’d have liked to have carried on the momentum,” much-travelled ex-City midfielder Milner said.
“I was trying to stay calm (with the penalty). It’s not the easiest thing but I hope my years of experience helped.”
Milner copied the video gamer goal celebration of his former Liverpool teammate Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash in July. Milner is wearing Portuguese Jota’s number 20 on his jersey at Brighton this season.
“Obviously Jots meant so much to everyone. It is an honour to wear his number this season. I have seen him doing (the celebration) and it was probably a bad impression by me.”
Milner became the second oldest Premier League scorer overall after Teddy Sheringham, who netted for West Ham United against Portsmouth at 40 years, 268 days in 2006.
Liverpool edge Arsenal
IMAGE: Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates with teammates after scoring the winner against Arsenal. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters
Szoboszlai struck in the 83rd minute after Martin Zubimendi’s costly foul on Curtis Jones, unleashing a shot from 25 yards out that ricocheted in off the inside of the post, which had the Liverpool fans chanting “Champions!”
With both teams winning their opening two games, the afternoon was a chance to set an early tone for the season, but it appeared to be heading for a goalless draw in a game billed as a battle between titans.
Liverpool’s summer signing Hugo Ekitike thought he had broken the deadlock in the second half when he bundled in the ball after goalkeeper David Raya fumbled Florian Wirtz’s shot. But VAR showed Cody Gakpo was offside in the buildup.
