Erling Haaland’s three-match goal drought came to an end on Wednesday, but his penalty was not enough to secure victory for Manchester City as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Brighton & Hove Albion. The result marks City’s third consecutive league draw and sees them fall five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.
The Norwegian striker broke his scoring drought four minutes before halftime, converting from the penalty spot after Jeremy Doku was fouled by Diego Gomez. Following a VAR review that confirmed the decision, Haaland confidently scored his 150th goal for Manchester City and his 20th in the Premier League this season, reaching a significant milestone despite his recent struggles.
The second half saw City push for a crucial second goal, with Bernardo Silva striking the post after pouncing on a Brighton error. The match became contentious when goalkeepers Gianluigi Donnarumma and Maxim De Cuyper were involved in an altercation, resulting in both players receiving yellow cards from the referee.
Brighton equalised on the hour mark through Kaoru Mitoma, who received a pass from the flank and expertly guided a low shot into the far corner from the edge of the box. The goal shifted the momentum entirely in Brighton’s favour, as they began to control possession and create dangerous opportunities.
The visitors came within inches of claiming all three points when Mitoma’s effort from a tight angle rattled the post following a goal-mouth scramble. Late drama ensued when Haaland was presented with a clear chance to win the match, finding himself one-on-one with Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, but the Dutch keeper produced a vital save to deny him and secure a valuable point for Brighton.