Manchester City’s sense of drift continued as another evening of control without reward ended in a 1-1 draw against Brighton at the Etihad Stadium.
A result that once might have felt acceptable instead carried the weight of a season threatening to slip from their grasp.
City had the lead, had the openings and had the platform to apply pressure on their title rivals. What they did not have was the sharpness required to finish the job.
Pep Guardiola’s side have become familiar with this pattern in recent weeks. Dominant spells, moments of quality and a handful of clear chances, followed by missed opportunities and a creeping sense of regret.
This draw, their third in a row in the league, left them further behind at the top and facing the uncomfortable reality that others may now control their destiny.
Erling Haaland, so often the decisive figure, converted from the spot to put City ahead but later failed to make the most of another presentable opportunity.
Around him, Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders also passed up chances that could have tilted the contest firmly in City’s favour. Brighton, organised and opportunistic, stayed in the game and were rewarded for their resilience.
City remain unbeaten in 11 matches, a statistic that suggests stability. Yet numbers can deceive. The atmosphere at full-time told a different story, one of irritation rather than relief.
The Sky Blues are not losing games, but they are losing ground, and that distinction may prove crucial.
The Man City 1-1 Brighton adds to a growing sense that City are treading water. Arsenal could yet extend their advantage, and Guardiola knows the margin for error is shrinking fast.
The Cityzens are still capable of extraordinary runs, but they now require near perfection and a measure of help elsewhere.
Jeremy Doku did not hide his feelings afterwards. The winger, who has brought pace and directness to City’s attack, spoke with candour about the frustration within the dressing room.
“We’re disappointed. We wanted to win this game. We had the chances to win. So we’re all disappointed,” he said in an interview after the game.
“We had clear chances that we just needed to score to be more comfortable.
“It’s very frustrating because it’s not even the opponent, it’s just us. We missed some chances, then we put ourselves in trouble. It’s just us, so it’s a bit frustrating because we know we could’ve been better in terms of scoring.”
His words cut to the heart of City’s current issue. This was not a case of being outplayed or overrun. Instead, it was another example of a team failing to turn superiority into certainty, leaving the door open for opponents to escape with something.
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There was also a clear challenge to those around him, particularly in light of the absentees Guardiola has had to manage. Injuries have disrupted City’s rhythm, but the winger was quick to dismiss the idea of excuses.
“There are some key players missing, but that’s not an excuse. I think the players that were on the pitch today and on the bench are all players that can still win games for us. We are waiting for them to come back, but in the meantime we have players that have to step up and have to take their role.
“We’re not really looking at the table. We just look at ourselves and trying to win games. And at the end, we’ll see where we are.”
City’s squad depth remains one of their greatest strengths, but depth only matters if those called upon deliver consistently. Guardiola has rotated, adapted and improvised, yet the results have not quite matched the performances.
However, amid the frustration, there was at least one positive note. Academy graduate Max Alleyne was handed a senior debut in defence, just days after returning from a loan spell at Watford. Thrust into a high-pressure environment, the youngster showed composure beyond his years.
Doku was among those impressed by Alleyne’s contribution. “He did very well! He trained only one time with us, but today he seemed very confident.
“He did very well. I’m very happy with his performance.”
