Manchester City 0 Brighton and Hove Albion

Yasin Ayari made amends for failing to score from the spot in the League Cup penalty shoot-out on Wednesday (28 October).

And his goal enabled Brighton and Hove Albion to avenge their defeat by Manchester City as the Seagulls managed a 1-0 win over the Premier League leaders this afternoon (Saturday 31 October).

Hürzeler wanted revenge and Ayari’s early strike meant that Brighton left their second match at the Etihad in four days with all three points.

It was a second Premier League defeat in a row for leaders City after they started the campaign with seven wins on the trot.

Champions Arsenal now have the chance to leapfrog City when they play Liverpool at Anfield tomorrow (Sunday 1 November).

Brighton opted to stay in the north west area after the Carabao Cup game at the same venue and will feel their decision has been vindicated.

Although they had to withstand fierce late pressure to do so, by bouncing back from their midweek cup agony and defeat at Liverpool last weekend, Brighton are now just two points off the top.

Both sides made wholesale changes for their cup tie but both were also closer to full strength today although City boss Enzo Maresca dropped centre-back Marc Guehi after his poor recent form.

The Italian also chose to field Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernandez together in midfield, naming in-form playmakers Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden on the bench.

It was Brighton, though, who seized the initiative, taking the lead after 11 minutes.

Lewis Dunk, who along with Ayari missed a penalty on Wednesday, released Diego Gomez with a ball down the right from a free-kick and Matheus Nunes failed to cut out his low cross.

The ball rebounded kindly off the ankles of Maxim De Cuyper to present Ayari with a simple finish from close range.

City responded positively with the lively Iliman Ndiaye providing their most likely route back into the game.

The Senegal international should have levelled when picked out by Anderson but he headed wide with Bart Verbruggen beaten.

He did not let the miss affect him and he tested Verbruggen after a weaving run. He also drove a low cross into the box that appeared to strike the hand of Dunk but nothing was given.

Brighton could have doubled their lead early in the second half when De Cuyper blazed over but City stepped up the tempo.

Ndiaye went close again as Verbruggen tipped a powerful effort on to the post and then he almost teed up Erling Haaland with a cross that Luka Vuskovic cut out.

Nunes then drew a save from Verbruggen before Ndiaye was left to rue another miss when he slammed into the side-netting from a Nico O’Reilly pass.

Georginio Rutter shot wide as Brighton made what, by the latter stages, was a rare foray outside their own half but City battled on.

O’Reilly and Cherki both went close for City but time ran out for the hosts.