It became a bit of a deluge in the end, the number of questions Pep Guardiola fielded about the guy in the other dugout. The Manchester City manager turned to a member of staff and suggested that maybe he ought to become Roberto De Zerbi’s agent. Everybody laughed.
De Zerbi is the one hotly tipped to be taking Guardiola’s gilded seat whenever the Catalan decides to pack it in. And with good reason; nobody has improved a club quite like the Italian since he chose Brighton at the start of last season. Brave, bold, capable of bossing games like this.
When venturing why he admires the 44-year-old, someone he considers a friend – which is a rare admission about a colleague – Guardiola suggested Brighton’s ‘body shape’ makes them so dangerous. De Zerbi has worked hard individually and collectively to hone that to maximise their sharpness through the thirds.
Which is all great. Brighton are superb and will fancy the top four this year, unless Europe really gets in the way. But De Zerbi committed something of a tactical error: James Milner as the right back.
Thirty-seven years old, these days. Marking Jeremy Doku, who is flying since a big summer move. Joel Veltman, a sprightly 31 who started at right back against Liverpool before the international break, sat on the bench. Milner’s body shape routinely pointed at Doku’s heels.
Man City defeated Brighton 2-1 after a solid display at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon
Julian Alvarez put City 1-0 up with a scuffed finish after some fine work from Jeremy Doku
Erling Haaland made it 2-0 shortly after with a superb effort from outside the penalty area
It probably cost them a point, or maybe more. Not necessarily because by the time Milner found himself hooked for Veltman at half time they were a couple of goals down. More that the extra manpower and concentration required to offset the mismatch made them limper in what was a wasted first half.
So during a relentless last 15 minutes, when Manuel Akanji saw red for a second booking, Brighton might actually have been chasing a winner rather than an equaliser – also ending this with a troubling injury to Solly March, with Danny Welbeck having hobbled out earlier. City managed to see it out, shutting up shop after Ansu Fati nudged one back, to secure a first win in three. Relative crisis averted.
Always easier when they lead after seven minutes. Pascal Gross had gone over to help Milner, that need became clear very quickly, but even he could not stop Doku. The Belgian stood him up before changing gear, heading to the byline, and Brighton were exposed. Julian Alvarez collected the cut back, shooting off his left foot onto his right. Over Jason Steele it looped and City were away.
The big call beforehand wasn’t actually the inclusion of the veteran, but rather who Guardiola opted for between the sticks. Ederson, who featured for Brazil in Uruguay on Wednesday night, dropped to the bench in place of Stefan Ortega. The travelling will presumably have factored into Guardiola’s decision, yet Alvarez also gave Argentina 78 minutes in Peru on the same day.
Haaland celebrated after ending a rare goal drought of three games in all competitions
Doku was electric and Brighton were unable to cope with the Belgian winger in the first half
Brighton forward Danny Welbeck was forced off injured in another blow to the Seagulls
Ortega is an able understudy and has aspirations of taking over as No 1. The key attribute Ederson possesses over pretty much every other goalkeeper in Europe is his distribution yet Ortega hardly struggles with that either. Nerveless in moving across his goal line under pressure, the German passed through the lines as if the main man were there.
There were blemishes, however. At 2-0, a lazy floated ball out left was easily cut out by the visitors, only for Gross to scoop wide when through. De Zerbi can only be described as having gone mad towards his bench.
Similar anger had stirred in the 18th minute, when Haaland battered in the second. Brighton messed up a basic throw-in, Carlos Baleba swarmed upon after being given a difficult ball and gifting it to Haaland. In scenes not always seen at this stadium, the Norwegian usually a box finisher, he caught Steele early with the sort of finish that was more reminiscent of his spell at Borussia Dortmund.
The focus remained on Doku though, Guardiola agitated whenever City went right instead of left. Milner somehow escaped a booking, Lewis Dunk not even penalised with a foul when bodychecking the winger. They couldn’t cope, although looked considerably more adept once Veltman entered.
The game saw another match-up between Roberto De Zerbi and Pep Guardiola with the Spaniard a huge fan of the Brighton boss
Brighton were improved in the second half and pulled a goal back through Ansu Fati
And more threatening, with Kaoru Mitoma’s influence growing. The Japan international was threatening with various long, raking dribbles that took several defenders with him long before he manufactured substitute Ansu Fati’s goal with 17 minutes left. Ortega had already flown out to deny Mitoma before the winger somehow headed into the side-netting from a corner. One of those moments when the entire away end went up in celebration, then disbelieving at the outcome.
City were hurrying clearances, Akanji booked for hauling down Fati as Brighton broke through midfield menacingly, yet didn’t offer up too many other chances. De Zerbi could have gone above Guardiola if he’d played his cards right.
Rodri returned to the starting line-up after a three-match suspension in a huge boost for City
Brighton almost took a point from the game but City held firm for their first win in three games
