Heading into the game
Brighton had a slightly shaky start to the 2025/26 season, finding themselves in the relegation zone for the first time ever during their tenure in the top flight. Conceding a late equaliser to Fulham in the opening fixture and the introduction of the Hill Dickinson Stadium proved to be too much of an occasion for the Seagulls, who suffered a 2-0 defeat that left them in 18th place.
However, Fabian Hurzeler expressed his overall satisfaction with the team’s performances, noting that they created chances and, had they capitalised on these opportunities, could have easily won both matches.
It is unfamiliar territory for Albion to struggle for results at the start of the season, they have not had a worse opening since their debut Premier League campaign. Frustration lingered around the absence of new Greek strikers: 18-year-old Charalampos Kostoulas and 19-year-old Stefanos Tzimas, both deemed not yet ready for the intensity of the Premier League.
The Carabao Cup second round came at the perfect time for Brighton, allowing fresh faces to appear in the starting XI and resulting in a 6-0 win: their biggest away victory in 25 years. Goal contributions were spread throughout the squad, including several debutants, and a newfound confidence spread through the camp.
Fans were much more upbeat after an enjoyable trip, with optimism returning to the Amex, boosted by the added benefit of Georginio Rutter being available ahead of the clash against Manchester City.
As it began
Albion started slowly, with City maintaining the upper hand for most of the first half. As the Seagulls tried to find their rhythm, passes were repeatedly misplaced, going out of play and gifting possession back to Manchester City. Despite Karou Mitoma bursting through on goal and forcing Trafford into a good save, tipping the ball past the post, the Seagulls lacked creativity and clear-cut opportunities were sparse in the first 45 minutes.
Haaland opened the scoring for City after the ball was bundled through Albion’s box, with Marmoush’s persistence creating the opening and leaving the Norwegian striker with a simple finish. He had three chances prior: a tame effort when bearing down on goal, a misfired shot dragged wide, and a towering header denied by Bart Verbruggen.
Albion remained in the game, only one goal behind, knowing they could still swing the momentum in their favour. However, energy remained lacking at the start of the second half, with their play becoming stagnant, prompting Fabian Hurzeler to make changes from the bench.
The difference makers
A quadruple substitution injected belief and energy into Brighton’s play, delivering an immediate impact. They soon found themselves in a four-on-three situation, surging towards goal, with Yankuba Minteh stinging the palms of James Trafford from a clean strike, the first warning sign for City, and immediately lifting the fans.
Moments later, substitute Yasin Ayari floated a cross to the back post, where captain Lewis Dunk fired the ball at the arm of Matheus Nunes and earned Brighton a spot kick. Thirty-nine-year-old James Milner stepped up and slotted the ball with composure into the bottom left corner, his first goal since Boxing Day 2019 and paid an emotional tribute to Diogo Jota in his celebration.
Suddenly, the Seagulls looked more likely to claim all three points. With the crowd behind them, Albion now showed attacking prowess, firing a succession of shots on target and mounting pressure on the away side.
As the 90 minutes drew to a close, John Stones was caught out of position and Georginio Rutter provided a classy touch for Mitoma, who played a deadly pass through to Brajan Gruda. Gruda took on the ball with an excellent first touch, used his flair to sit down both the City defender and goalkeeper, and finally slid the ball into the net. The Amex erupted as Brighton turned the game on its head against City once again.
Last season, Albion earned 23 points from behind- the most among all teams alongside champions Liverpool. It is promising to see this spirit carry into the current season, as the ‘never say die’ attitude remains essential for Albion’s ambitions to finish in the European places come May.
Looking Ahead
Brighton entered the international break with their first three points of the season, ready to build momentum when the league restarts.
The win also takes the heat off Stefanos Tzimas, Charalampos Kostoulas, and TommyWatson, all excluded from the squad on Sunday. With the spotlight off these new signings, they have an additional two weeks to get up to speed and hopefully feature in the next league fixtures.
Albion are renowned for their young prospects, and this season follows that trend. Brighton know what to expect from the exciting talents of Yankuba Minteh, Georgino Rutter and Brajan Gruda with confidence that they can progress further.
Meanwhile, the recent additions of Tzimas, Kostoulas, and Watson-though somewhat unknown-are clearly motivated to make an impact on Brighton’s attack. All this provides substantial hope for the Seagulls to have a successful season.
