Brighton beat Manchester City 1-0 in Premier League

Brighton and Hove Albion won 1-0 at Manchester City in a 3pm kick-off at the Etihad Stadium, with Yasin Ayari scoring the only goal from close range. The result cuts City's lead at the top of the Premier League to two points and gives Fabian Hurzeler's side a serious claim to be treated as title contenders.

Dutch goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen played a central part in keeping the hosts scoreless, stopping Mateus Nunes and Khusanov among several City attempts. Why Brighton's win matters in the Premier League title race City now have back-to-back Premier League defeats, and Brighton have shown they can beat the leaders on their own ground.

They have already beaten Arsenal this season, which suggests the squad can keep pace with the best teams in the division over a long stretch. The win also avenges an earlier League Cup defeat.

For Dutch readers, it adds weight to the season of Verbruggen, who handled a steady stream of City pressure in the second half. How Ayari's goal came together The decisive move came early in the first half.

Brighton switched play to Diego Gómez, whose cross flashed across the face of the City goal. The ball ricocheted off Maxim De Cuyper, who is credited with the assist, and Ayari tapped in from close range.

City's defending was poor on the play, and Enzo Maresca, the home head coach, threw his arms up in frustration on the touchline. Nunes in particular will not want to see it again.

Brighton's traveling supporters had a song ready for the occasion, a taunt aimed at Crystal Palace that echoed around the stadium after the goal and again at the final whistle. A bargain-priced winning move against City's expensive midfield The contrast in spending was hard to miss.

City have been found guilty of breaching financial rules, and they started the costliest central midfield the Premier League has seen. It was also the first time their three summer signings in that area had started together: Elliot Anderson controlled possession, with Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernandez playing in more advanced roles.

The three players who built the winning goal cost far less. Gómez is an £11m signing who was playing in Major League Soccer in the United States not long ago.