Erling Haaland turned the quickest participant ever to 100 Premier League aim contributions as Manchester Metropolis had been held by fellow top-four hopefuls Brighton 2-2 on the Etihad.
The chase for European soccer is being hotly contested by as many as eight golf equipment this season, together with each Metropolis and Brighton, however neither had been capable of take command of the race regardless of record-breaking Haaland’s finest efforts.
“Not bad, right? Hopefully we can continue to play better and help him to score more,” Pep Guardiola stated of Haaland’s newest accolade.
Omar Marmoush received a penalty – felled by a mindless Adam Webster problem – for the striker to despatch an opener, earlier than Marmoush himself rifled an excellent second after Pervis Estupinan equalised through a pinpoint free-kick.
The sport was performed at an exciting tempo and Abdukodir Khusanov turned via his personal web early within the second interval to attract emboldened Brighton – on a four-game successful streak – degree for the second time. And there have been probabilities aplenty for a winner.
Yankuba Minteh let a back-post sitter run inexplicably via his legs, Carlos Baleba smashed over unmarked from 10 yards, whereas Nico Gonzalez struck the submit for Metropolis. Neither facet was capable of flip one level right into a valuable three.
The competitors for the possibility to play Champions League soccer subsequent season stays as fascinatingly open as ever as Guardiola’s facet keep provisionally fifth, whereas resurgent Brighton stay some extent additional again in seventh.
Why did Pep confront the referee?
Jeremy Doku was booked for simulation by referee Simon Hooper within the second interval when leaping over an incoming deal with from Jan Paul van Hecke. The problem an trustworthy try and play the ball however mistimed, and at full tempo. Doku leaped to keep away from contact with the defender earlier than referee Hooper brandished a warning, suggesting Doku had dived.
Talking in regards to the incident post-match, Guardiola stated: “He doesn’t jump, he can break his leg. He jumps to avoid contact. Doku is not a diving player, they should know that. It is what it is. We didn’t win or lose from that decision. I said to the referee that, if he doesn’t jump he could get kicked hard – he did it to protect himself.”
Hurzeler: Choice making allow us to down
Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler:
“There were two or three really big chances in the second half to go for the winner. We have to improve the small margins and then next time do it better.
“I am not an enormous fan of statistics or data, it is about chasing the following degree. At present we performed our type. General it is a undeniable fact that we received the primary time some extent right here, however extra it is disappointing to not have three factors.
“We lost two points because we didn’t find the right balance of playing out from the back and playing a long ball. Decision making wasn’t on the highest level from us. It was our responsibility – we weren’t clean enough in the first half.”
