Brighton v City - 31 Aug 2025 Manchester City FC - Official Website of Man City F.C.

Thank you as ever for your support today. We'll be back to it on Sunday 14 September for the 197th Manchester derby.

Overall?

We concede the goal and after that it shifted. Until then it was really, really good, we had chances and the team looked aggressive and dynamic. We made a good hour and then after the last half an hour we were not good. We forgot to pass the ball, just played long balls and we were not good enough. It is what it is.

Erling is our big threat but in general we made a good hour and after we concede the goal, a bit like Tottenham, we concede and everywhere we don't continue to do what we need to do. It can happen, you still have time because it is possible to concede in the Premier League. Of course everyone makes the substitutions to get better and they did it well but it all changed after the goal.

We have a really good squad and of course we changed many things from the past to now, which is normal, we need new players to adapt and we need the older ones to help them to cope.

RODRI?

Rodri played a really good performance and he is a top character. Happy he played 90 minutes and I would say that he could handle his minutes in the national team and after we start the season.

I like many things that we are doing and when we come back we know the squad we are going to have and we are going to try to compete.

Yes, disappointing because we’re Man City and we come here to win. But this is the reality, we are not at the level for a long, long time. The only way to come back is to look at ourselves. That’s the reality. I think we started well but in the second half we dropped a little bit, and here at their home with the pressure and two big mistakes from us and then 2-1.

We’re missing the level, I don’t know, call it what you want. It’s a matter of the team, changes, new players have to adapt and when you change the team that much it is difficult. This is our reality, it’s not excuses. We have to look to ourselves and see that this is not the way to achieve things. Let’s go to the international break, clean our minds and come back stronger.

I don’t think we had control of the game. I don’t think we were at our best, we didn’t create much. It’s many aspects. Today we should win because the two goals we conceded are two mistakes. Some of the mistakes are like kid mistakes. This is football. When we lose it is easy to point at everyone. The reality is we have to raise the level if we want to compete for the Premier League.

The easiest thing to say would be winning the ball back. Trafford made a number of saves in the game where we were opened up. City were giving the ball away in the first half as well but Brighton were not really confident enough to capitalise on it then. 

If you don’t have proper control of the game, but you think you do, and then all of a sudden the opposition takes control, then in the heat of battle, it’s frustrating.

90 minutes for Rodri in his first Premier League start for almost a year. That's a brilliant sign for us.

Personally, I thought he looked a long way back to being the player we know and love. He completed 84 passes in total - more than anyone else on the pitch - and covered a lot of ground.

We'll hear from Pep Guardiola and a player before we wrap up this afternoon.

David James and Karen Bardsley are still here to reflect on that result.

Brighton take the three points after the late winner.

He lines up a shot from 20 yards but it's off target. That could be it.