Jeremy Doku’s pace proved too much for Brighton’s Diego Gomez on Wednesday, earning Manchester City a penalty that gave them the lead in a match that eventually ended 1-1 at the Etihad Stadium. The draw represents City’s third consecutive league stalemate and leaves them five points behind Arsenal in the Premier League title race.
The penalty was awarded four minutes before halftime after Doku was brought down by Gomez inside the penalty area. Following a VAR review that confirmed the decision, Erling Haaland stepped up to convert the spot-kick, scoring his 150th goal for Manchester City and his 20th in the Premier League this season, ending a three-match period without finding the net.
City appeared on course to secure all three points when Bernardo Silva struck the post early in the second half after capitalising on a Brighton defensive error. The match saw tensions rise when goalkeepers Gianluigi Donnarumma and Maxim De Cuyper were involved in a heated exchange, resulting in both players receiving yellow cards.
Brighton equalised in the 60th minute through Kaoru Mitoma, who demonstrated excellent composure to guide a low shot into the bottom corner from just outside the box. The Japanese winger received a pass from wide and calmly slotted home to level the score and energise his team.
After equalising, Brighton seized control and nearly claimed a remarkable victory when Mitoma’s effort from a tight angle struck the post. In the final moments, Haaland had a golden opportunity to win the match for City, finding himself alone in the box with only Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen to beat, but the Dutch keeper produced a superb save to deny him and ensure his team earned a well-deserved point.
