Manager Enzo Maresca made a flawless start by winning his first seven league games in charge of Manchester City but has now hit his first sticky patch, seeing his side defeated at Aston Villa last Saturday and now beaten at home by Brighton.

Another individual error was their undoing, this time Matheus Nunes being the guilty party, failing to get enough purchase on Maxim De Cuyper's cross towards the far post and presenting Ayari with an opportunity that he could not miss.

The home side had opportunities in the final third too but lacked their usual clinical finishing in front of goal, failing to find the net for the first time in 25 Premier League matches despite having 21 shots at goal.

City needed penalties to edge past Brighton during the week but they extended their poor recent form against the Seagulls, now winless against the opposition in their past five league games.

Star man Erling Haaland had little to feed off, while Maresca needs to address his formula in midfield – the three-man deployment of Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi were often disjointed and lacking in cohesion.