De Bruyne stunner puts paid to brave Brighton’s revival
THAT harmonious groaning, the constant humming of disapproval inside a stadium from supporters of the favourites in any given game is beautifully comforting. Evidence that a proper match is taking place. This was certainly one of those.
Roberto De Zerbi might still be searching for a first victory as Brighton manager but signs of serious encouragement are there. They left the Etihad having boasted the majority of possession and nobody manages that here.
It was the sort of away performance that saw Pep Guardiola bristle inside his technical area — even more so than usual — and have a fair few disagreements with Manchester City’s players. Again, even more than usual.
City were under the pump for 20 second-half minutes and everybody here knew it. Plenty of nervousness. Brighton appeared ready to snatch something. And then Kevin De Bruyne took the ball on in the 75th minute. And then this was over.
A stunner, curling far away into Robert Sanchez’s top right-hand corner from just over 20 yards. In all the way, De Bruyne heading off in celebration by covering one eye to show off a sizeable shiner after taking a ball to the face in training during the week.
‘I knew De Bruyne before but I know him better now — incredible, amazing,’ De Zerbi said. ‘I’m sad. Not only for today but for these five games. We played very well but the results are not fair.
‘I’m happy I’m not playing Pep again for a while because this week I did not sleep much.’
Murmuring became relief, City bouncing back from last week’s defeat at Anfield but it was not a stroll. The suggestions of this game proving troublesome were there early. Brighton made this into a cat and mouse contest, patiently refusing to engage with City’s back four. The hosts could not pass through the stubborn lines and were not pleased.
With Danny Welbeck briefly stricken, Guardiola held a meeting after just eight minutes, with Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Ederson and Erling Haaland in attendance. He implored them to go longer and that eventually brought the opening goal.
Ederson spotted a space to hit between Sanchez and his back three, knowing that Haaland owns the legs to reach anything. Sure enough, he did, racing clear to beat Sanchez outside the box and then shoulder barging Adam Webster to the floor, tapping into an unguarded goal after 22 minutes.
The Norwegian should have earned a penalty just before, when Sanchez kicked his ankle, but VAR did not overturn Craig Pawson’s decision to award nothing.
That was a different matter entirely later in the half, when Pawson was forced to stop proceedings to take a second look at Lewis Dunk’s challenge on Bernardo Silva.
The incident had happened at least 60 seconds before Pawson trotted over to the monitor. Dunk hung out his leg, Silva went over it after a gentle push by Pascal Gross. Haaland gave Sanchez no chance to really set himself and the goalkeeper almost cowered as the penalty kick flew beyond him.
Brighton hit back sharply after the break. Leandro Trossard scored it, fizzing into Ederson’s near post from 20 yards.
And suddenly the Etihad
Stadium started to wonder. Trossard nodded wide when substitute Tariq Lamptey’s cross was not attacked by Manuel Akanji, while Lamptey himself would later sneak in behind, just failing to find enough purchase on the eventual header.
After embarrassing Akanji in the Brighton half, Trossard stormed off effectively untracked straight into City’s box, but Ederson pulled out a smart save.
But there came respite when Silva squared for De Bruyne. He sized Sanchez up and decided to ping it into the corner without more than a second’s thought.
‘Kevin can be better,’ Guardiola said. ‘A fantastic goal but he is not playing at his best. He knows this.
‘His dynamic is not perfect. I spoke with him. The goal is outstanding and thanks to him we didn’t suffer in the final minutes.’