The same issue for Manchester City, the new season.
Pep Guardiola’s once dominant team lost second consecutive Premier League losses after a 2-1 loss at Brighton on Sunday.
After a 2-0 loss to Tottenham last weekend, City shows the same vulnerability and vulnerability they showed last season when they surrendered the title to Liverpool for the fourth consecutive year as the Champions.
“This is the reality – we’re not at the level of (previous) for a long time,” said City midfielder Rodri, the ruler’s winner who first started in the league since last September after a serious knee injury.
Brajan Gruda surged through open defense, rounding up goalkeeper James Trafford and slotted into the empty net for Brighton’s 89th minute winner.
City admitted the equalizer 67 minutes after Mateus Nunes raised his arm in the region to block the shot, and James Milner converted the Brighton penalty to the second oldest scorer in Premier League history at age 39, 239 days. He is also the second youngest person to win the net as Leeds’ 16 year old.
With City’s significant decline, Brighton created a string of opportunities before Gruda changed it to repeat the team’s 2-1 victory at City last season.
City’s only point so far this season comes from a 4-0 opening round victory at Wolverhampton, after which critics have said Guardiola’s team is back. Currently, they have fewer points than Manchester United.
West Ham’s Surprising Win
West Ham eased pressure on manager Graham Potter with a 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest.
West Ham lost his first two games in the league, conceded eight goals in the process and was eliminated from the English League Cup mid-week.
Brazilian midfielder Paketa celebrated his successful penalty kick by pretending to answer the phone before kissing the badge on his jersey and pretending to throw it away.
Later game
Liverpool will host Arsenal at a meeting of two title candidates later on Sunday, and Crystal Palace will visit the villa.
___
There’s Steve Douglas https://twitter.com/sdouglas80
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
