Brighton come from two down to beat 10-man Manchester City to thrill home crowd

What a game this was. As Brighton came back from two goals down to defeat the champions, what a way to welcome back the crowds. The roar that greeted the final whistle was something even Pep Guardiola, a man who enjoys losing a football match about as much as he does root canal work, could appreciate.

“I’m so happy for the fans here in Brighton,” the Manchester City manager said. “In six days we are going to lift the trophy with our own fans. That will be special.”

7.945 had managed to secure a seat here, dotted, at suitable social distance, all round the Amex Stadium. It meant the players emerged to a sound they hadn’t heard for a while: a surge of anticipation, saved up for six months since paying customers were last allowed in. Brighton marked the moment by forming a guard of honour for their visitors, certain in the knowledge that they would be entertaining them next season after already securing their fifth successive term in the Premier League.

But within two minutes came reminder that though they will be hosting City again the chance of ever catching them is distant. It was not the most sophisticated goal of Guardiola’s tenure, Ilkay Gundogan bundling the ball in from Riyad Mahrez’s cross. But it was testament to the tenacity he has instilled in his side.

Three minutes later, Danny Welbeck almost chipped Brighton back into contention, but he missed, steering the ball wide of Ederson’s goal. The speed of his break, however, had clearly played on the mind of Joao Cancelo. When Welbeck surge forward again, the right back got tangled up with him. It looked six of one half a dozen of the other, but Stuart Attwell thought otherwise and flourished the red card. Cancelo made his way to the dressing room dispatched by a chorus of “cheerios” from the crowd. How we have missed that.

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The sending off also signalled the end of the evening for Ferran Torres who was substituted to make way for a defender, Eric Garcia. Though neither the depreciation in numbers nor the change in formation seemed to make any noticeable alteration in City’s approach. Still the smooth interchanges came, still the clever breaks, still the smart possession. Mind they have spent much of the season playing without a striker and, as was evidenced when Gundogan played in Phil Foden, whose advance was only stopped by a brilliant tackle from Ben White, their midfielders know how to attack.

Welbeck’s evening ended not long after that of Torres. After another collision, he was replaced by Leandro Trossard. And Brighton tried to respond, tried to take advantage of numbers. But they achieved little more than scrambles in the first half, the crowd’s oohs and aahs limited to the occasional.

And the volume dipped almost immediately after the interval. Foden took hold of the ball in his own half and belted forward, outstripping White for pace. Noone was stopping him, so he kept going, until the point when he passed the ball beyond Robert Sanchez into the corner of the Brighton net.

For a moment a gloom as dark as the skies fell over the stadium. It didn’t last long. Moments after Foden’s magnificent demonstration of his talent, Trossard showed that anything the City player could do he could as well. Taking hold of Rodri’s wayward pass, he drifted across the front of the city area, before slotting a fine finish beyond Ederson.

By now, with Yves Bissouma snapping in midfield, Brighton had taken back control of the game. Trossard barrelled forward and fed Yakub Moder whose cross was just ahead of the onrushing Lallana, while White’s thunderous shot almost poleaxed Oleksandr Zinchenko. Then came jubilation. Adam Webster headed home Pascal Gross’s cross and ran along the touchline blowing kisses into the ecstatic crowd. This was what they had come for. And, gloriously, it wasn’t over. Dan Burn rumbled into the area and, despite falling over as he shot, somehow managed to send the rebound beyond Ederson while lying on the turf. It was his first goal for the club. City tried to comeback, Sanchez was required to make a spectacular double save to keep out Foden. But in the end the sound filling the stadium was one of unexpected delight. And, down on the touchline, a little more than that.

“I apologise I was a bit emotional, it wasn’t my finest hour,” said Potter, whose exuberant celebrations visibly irritated the City bench at the end. ”It’s an emotional game.”

One thing was clear, as they applauded their team’s lap of honour at the end, they have a lot to look forward to at Brighton. If Potter can get Tariq Lamptey fit, keep Bissouma and sign a proven goalscorer, they will be watching football in this division for a while yet.