With 36 league goals to his name this season prior to tonight, you’d be forgiven for thinking Erling Haaland was superhuman.
He did however prove in the opening stages that he was human after all as he headed over Phil Foden’s cross from six yards out despite being afforded the freedom of the penalty area.
Brighton’s Danny Welbeck certainly hasn’t hit the prolific levels shown by Haaland, but he did manage to come closer to an opener than the Norwegian did, with his free-kick crashing back off the bar as Brighton built up a head of steam.
The champions were quick to oust Brighton’s optimism though, and of course Haaland was involved, laying the ball on a plate for Foden to fire City ahead despite the best efforts of Jan Paul van Hecke on the line.
In what was a pulsating first half, Brighton hit back not long after though as they reaped the rewards their efforts deserved. It came about in some fashion too, with Julio Enciso picking the ball up 30 yards from goal and unleashing an effort into the top-right corner that left Stefan Ortega no more than an interested spectator.
That goal seemed to rock City a little as Brighton wrestled a strong hold on proceedings. The in-form Evan Ferguson was introduced shortly after the break and the young Irishman almost made an instant impact when he pounced upon a loose ball and thundered an effort goalwards, prompting a smart stop from Ortega.
Of the two sides, it was Brighton who looked likelier to find a late winner, but they were finding City’s goal tough to breach, with Kaoru Mitoma next to be thwarted by the City stopper.
However, Brighton almost learned the hard way that if you don’t take your chances against City then you’ll get punished. When Haaland netted with 10 minutes to go, the Seagulls were handed a reprieve after Levi Colwill had his shirt pulled by the Norwegian moments before he headed home.
Football purists would argue a draw was maybe a fair result, and it’s one that both sides will perhaps be content with given City’s title is already in the bag and Brighton’s spot in UEFA’s second-tier club competition is now rubber stamped.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Pascal Gross (Brighton)
