Manchester misfires: City’s draw fuels Arsenal surge as Sesko rescues point for United

Both Manchester clubs had very important Premier League matches last night.

Pep Guardiola’s team was looking for a win to continue the race with Arsenal for the title, while Manchester United was seeking three points to boost the club following the Ruben Amorim change.

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However, both sides had to contend with a point from their respective matches.

The opening 45 minutes at the Etihad were lively and competitive, with Brighton creating early danger before Manchester City eventually took the lead from the penalty spot.

Brighton nearly stunned the home crowd in the third minute with a huge chance.

Gomez delivered a cross that found Gross on the edge of the six-yard box, and the German midfielder had a free header.

However, Donnarumma reacted brilliantly, getting down quickly to make an excellent save.

The visitors threatened again just five minutes later. In the eighth minute, Rutter slipped the ball into acres of space behind Ake for Kadioglu, who drove into the penalty area and fired a shot, but once again Donnarumma was well positioned to save.

City gradually began to grow into the game. In the 15th minute, Bernardo Silva tried his luck from a decent position, but his effort lacked power and posed no real threat to Verbruggen.

Ten minutes later, Erling Haaland had a promising opportunity when Ake delivered a cross, and the Norwegian striker created space for a shot, only to send the ball wide of the target.

Brighton continued to look dangerous on the break and came close again in the 27th minute.

Rutter found himself almost one-on-one with Donnarumma, but Khusanov made a crucial last-ditch block to deny a likely goal.

The breakthrough finally arrived in the 38th minute. Jeremy Doku burst down the left flank and cut into the box, where he was caught by Gomez.

The referee initially waved play on, but after a VAR review, he pointed to the penalty spot. Haaland stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick to give Manchester City a 1–0 lead.

City almost doubled their advantage straight after the restart. In the 46th minute, Brighton survived a huge scare when Ayari played a blind pass directly to Bernardo Silva inside his own penalty area.

The City captain got a shot away, but the ball clipped the outside of the post and rolled wide.

Brighton continued to live dangerously, and in the 55th minute, Ayari was again caught in possession.

Haaland seized on the mistake, powered past Dunk, but Van Hecke made a crucial recovery challenge to get a vital touch and prevent a clear scoring opportunity.

Against the run of play, Brighton drew level in the 60th minute.

The goal came almost out of nowhere, but it was a moment of pure quality from Kaoru Mitoma.

He cut inside from the left, faced little resistance, and curled a brilliant shot from the edge of the box into the far corner, leaving Donnarumma with no chance.

The visitors grew in confidence and nearly went ahead in the 68th minute. Brighton sliced City open with a sharp move, as Kadioglu’s cross was cut back to the penalty spot by Hinshelwood.

Gomez looked set to shoot, but Rodri produced a perfectly timed tackle to deny a certain goal.

City pushed hard for a winner in the closing stages. In the 76th minute, Haaland glanced a header toward the far corner, and it seemed destined for the net until Kadioglu raced back to clear the ball off the line with a heroic header.

Another huge chance arrived in the 81st minute after a disastrous error from Ayari, who gifted possession to Cherki.

He quickly played Haaland through on goal, but Verbruggen came to Brighton’s rescue with an excellent save.

City continued to threaten late on, and in the 86th minute, Cherki fired a powerful shot after a smart lay-off from Doku, but his effort flew over Verbruggen’s crossbar.

Burnley - Manchester United 2-2 (1-0)

Burnley went into the break with a surprise lead after a first half in which Manchester United created plenty of chances but failed to find a way past an inspired home defense and goalkeeper.

The decisive moment came early, in the 13th minute, when Burnley scored with their first real attempt on goal. United’s defense was opened up far too easily by a quick one-two on the left.

Humphreys received the ball and appeared to be aiming for a cross into the box, but his delivery took a deflection off Ayden Heaven and looped over the United goalkeeper, dropping into the net for 1–0.

United responded by increasing the pressure. In the 23rd minute, Benjamin Sesko met a good cross from the right and directed a header toward goal, but it lacked the accuracy to seriously trouble Martin Dubravka.

A major opportunity followed in the 27th minute. After a well-worked free-kick routine involving Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Cunha, Humphreys — the scorer for Burnley — cleared Cunha’s effort off the line with a crucial header.

Moments later, United thought they had equalized from the resulting corner when Ugarte finished amid a crowded penalty area, but the referee whistled for a foul, allowing Burnley to survive a huge scare.

United continued to knock on the door as halftime approached. Sesko found space on the left side of the penalty area in the 41st minute, but his shot was too weak to beat Dubravka.

Two minutes later, the Burnley goalkeeper produced a superb save, reacting brilliantly to deny Sesko’s powerful header from Casemiro’s cross.

The chances kept coming for United. In the 44th minute, Casemiro again played a key role, cushioning the ball into Ugarte’s path for a volley that flashed just wide.

Deep into stoppage time, Cunha capitalized on a defensive error and fired from the edge of the box, only to be denied by another fine save from Dubravka.

Seconds later, Dorgu nearly equalized when he found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper and attempted a delicate lob, but Esteve made a dramatic goal-line clearance to preserve Burnley’s advantage.

Man United quickly hit back after the break. In the 50th minute, Bruno Fernandes set up Benjamin Sesko for his first goal of the match.

The Slovenian striker made no mistake, calmly finishing the move and leveling the score at 1–1.

Just five minutes later, United had another big chance.

Lisandro Martinez and Bruno Fernandes combined beautifully, with Bruno firing a shot towards Dubravka’s goal, only for the ball to cannon off the left post.

Brighton had a scare in the 57th minute when Ayden Heaven missed a gilt-edged opportunity.

After a precise cross, the young Englishman found himself unmarked at the far post, but the ball struck his shoulder rather than his head and went wide.

United took the lead in the 60th minute as Benjamin Sesko scored again.

Patrick Dorgu made an excellent run down the left and delivered a perfect ball to Sesko, who controlled it and slotted it past Dubravka to put the Red Devils ahead 2–1.

Burnley refused to back down, and in the 66th minute, they restored parity. Anthony produced a superb individual effort, dribbling past defenders to create space before curling a powerful left-footed shot into the top corner, leaving the United goalkeeper helpless and leveling the score once again.

PREMIER LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 21

Tuesday

West Ham - Nottingham Forest 1-2 (1-0)

/Murillo 13 og - Dominguez 55, Gibbs-White 89 pen/

Wednesday

Bournemouth - Tottenham 3-2 (2-1)

/Evanilson 22, Kroupi 36, Semenyo 90+5 - Tel 5, Palhinha 78/

Brentford - Sunderland 3-0 (1-0)

/Thiago 30, 65, Yarmolyuk 73/

Crystal Palace - Aston Villa 0-0

Everton - Wolverhampton 1-1 (1-0)

/Keane 17 - Mane 69/

Fulham - Chelsea 2-1 (0-0)

/Jimenez 55, Wilson 81 - Delap 72

Man. City - Brighton 1-1 (1-0)

/Haaland 41 pen - Mitoma 60/

Burnley - Man. United 2-2 (1-0)

/Heaven 13 og, Anthony 66 - Sesko 50, 60/

Newcastle - Leeds 4-3 (1-2)

/Barnes 36, 90+12, Joelinton 54, Guimaraes 90+1 pen - Aaronson 32, 79, Calvert-Lewin 45+5 pen/

Thursday

23.00: (1.63) Arsenal (4.20) Liverpool (5.30)

***odds are subject to change***