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Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City played out a thrilling 1-1 draw at the American Express Community Stadium in the Premier League on Wednesday, May 24.
Brighton looked to put the bow on what has been a truly splendid season for the club, with a point guaranteeing UEFA Europa League football for the Seagulls. Manager Roberto de Zerbi made four changes from the side that won at Southampton, even handing a start to young defender Jan Paul van Hecke.
Manchester City, on the other hand, were looking for an easy day out ahead of a few big fixtures in other competitions. Having already been crowned Premier League champions, Pep Guardiola made six changes to his side.
It was a highly entertaining first half, with both sides going all out in attack. Danny Welbeck struck the post from a free-kick before Manchester City took the lead. Erling Haaland set up Phil Foden for an easy finish as the champions responded well to Brighton's strong start.
The Seagulls thought they had grabbed the equaliser through Kaoru Mitoma when his header found the back of the net from a corner. However, replays showed that the ball struck his hand prior to the goal.
Soon after, Paraguayan youngster Julio Enciso unleashed a stunning strike to level the score. Upon receiving the ball from Levi Colwill, he drove at the defence before blasting the ball into the top corner.
The end-to-end affair continued into the second half as both sides wrestled for control in the game. Brighton, backed by an excellent home crowd, looked the stronger of the two, creating regular chances and putting Manchester City's defence under pressure.
Haaland then knocked in what could have been his 37th of the season but the goal was ruled out. The Norwegian was adjudged to have tugged Colwill by the shirt in the build-up as the atmosphere grew tense.
The full-time whistle eventually blew to signal the end of what was an exhilarating match that saw both teams create enough chances to take home three points. Here are five talking points from the game.
#5 VAR plays a role again
The game once again saw the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) making some crucial decisions, a repetitive theme of this Premier League season.
It started with Kaoru Mitoma's header off the corner which had to be ruled off for handball. However, the more pivotal moment came in the second half when Erling Haaland thought he had grabbed the winner, only for the goal to be ruled out for a shrug on Levi Colwill.
It was a decision that left Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola furious on the sidelines and the Spanish tactician also received a yellow for his demonstrations.
#4 Brighton's smart recruitment is paying off
Brighton & Hove Albion have their scouting department to thank for putting together one of the most exciting young squads in the Premier League. The Seagulls played their youngest starting lineup on Wednesday, headlined by Julio Enciso who capped off his performance with a sensational goal.
Other youngsters including Facundo Buonanotte, Moises Caicedo, Billy Gilmour and Levi Colwill performed admirably as well. The future certainly looks bright for on the coast.
Even if they are forced to part ways with some of their big names this summer, Brighton fans will be confident that their scouts can help inject the side with more talent.
#3 Manchester City have a few injuries to worry about
Pep Guardiola's team sheet for Thursday's match raised some eyebrows.
Ruben Dias, Manuel Akanji, Aymeric Laporte and Jack Grealish did not even make the bench, with Guardiola remarking that they were not fit. Phil Foden was also subbed off early in the second half with what appeared to be an Achilles issue, causing some added concern for Manchester City.
#2 Brighton's sensational season in a microcosm
Brighton's match against Manchester City was the perfect example of how terrific they have been this season. The home fans were treated to some brilliant football which involved fluid passing, exciting forays forward and going toe-to-toe against a team boasting plenty of quality.
The Seagulls have done quality business in the market, exceeding expectations despite losing key players and former manager Graham Potter in the summer window. Current boss Roberto de Zerbi has performed wonderfully and with European football secured for next season, the club have a lot to look forward to.
#1 Manchester City's winning run halted
It required a special performance to put Manchester City's brilliant run to a halt and that was exactly what Brighton & Hove Albion managed on Wednesday night.
Coming into the game, the Cityzens had won 12 straight games in the Premier League, a run that saw them overtake Arsenal and secure the title. With the stalemate against Brighton, they dropped points for the first time since a 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in early February.
City are still unbeaten in their last 25 games across all competitions and will carry strong momentum into next month's FA Cup and UEFA Champions League finals.
