THE fans got the game they deserved on their big return as Brighton side served up a brilliant comeback in a five-goal thriller to beat the champions.
Who could have predicted one of the worst goalscoring teams in the top flight would suddenly find their shooting boots to deliver a treat to the delirious fans in the Amex
But while the supporters were treated to a barmy feast of football, Pep Guardiola will spend the next few days fearing the lasting effects of the trip to West Sussex might be more than just the blow to morale of a defeat.
Reduced to ten men, given a chasing and losing Ilkay Gundogan injured was never in the script for the champions.
If Guardiola could have chosen an opponent to face in the penultimate game before a Champions League final, then it may well have been the Seagulls.
A clash between the best manager in world football and the man Guardiola claims is the best young boss in the English game.
Guardiola admires the way Graham Potter likes his sides to get the ball down and play – in contrast to other domestic bosses he has faced in the past who’s tactics may well have been to put the strong arm on City’s ballers.
So will have sent his men out – made up with the majority of players who are likely to start in Porto – confident of avoiding a kicking.
All looked to be going to plan within two minutes when Riyad Mahrez floated a ball in from the right to the far post, and Gundogan arrived unmarked to head into the bottom corner.
WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game this summer
But Brighton had no intention of being end of season whipping boys and set about the champions with extra vigour, roared on by the 8,000 Seagulls fans who had waited so long to get into the ground.
And Potter’s side scored a major boost on ten minutes when City were reduced to ten men after Joao Cancelo dragged Danny Welbeck to the ground on the edge of the box.
Cancelo got himself in all sorts of trouble when he misjudged Pascal Gross’s hopeful punt upfield, and once Welbeck nipped in to go clean through and red was the only outcome when the defender hauled him down.
All of a sudden the game got physical for City and not just because of the extra running they would have to do for the remaining 80 minutes of the game.
And when Alirezah Jahanbakhsh left his leg in on Gundogan, Guardiola was left smarting – arguing with any Brighton player within earshot before taking his anger out on ref
Brighton sensed they had a great chance to get back into the match, but though they got themselves in decent positions were unable to really threaten.
And when the chance did finally come when Leandro Trossard squared for Gross, the midfielder completely missed his kick to give the home fans a first hand glimpse of the goalscoring problems that have blighted their team all season.
Foden then threatened to double City’s lead on a rare break forward, but just as he tried to stride into the area to get off his shot, Ben White covered with a fine saving tackle.
However, two minutes after the break City did score a second through the brilliant Foden, and this time White was nowhere to be seen.
The youngster glided through into the left of the area and flashed a low shot across Robert Sanchez into the bottom corner.
Job done for City? Not on your life – for within two minutes Brighton were back in the match and back making it a tough contest for Guardiola and his side.
The goal was quite something too as Trossard cut in from the left and did something rarely seen – sitting Ruben Dias down not once, but twice, before lashing a shot into the back of the net.
It was a strike that brought the Amex to life, and with such fierce support the Seagulls snapped into every tackle and chased every ball, making City work far harder than they wanted.
And then the worst fears were confirmed for Guardiola and City on the hour as Gundogan, such a vital performer this season, trudged off with what looked a muscle injury.
How everyone on the Blue half of Manchester will be praying that it is only a minor problem, for losing the German for the big game against Chelsea would be a major blow.
Brighton were so dominant the game became attack versus defence, and twice White was unlucky not to score with thumping drive.
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
But they eventually made the breakthrough on 72 minutes after a period of sustained pressure when Adam Webster climbed to power a header into the bottom corner.
Four minutes later they were ahead as Dan Burn scored at the second attempt, stretching his long leg out to scooped an effort into the far corner.
It was mad, frantic and brilliant – and there was still time for City sub Eric Garcia to come up with a howler of a miss, skying his injury-time chance to equalise.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
