The match kicked off at 7pm Bangladesh time on Sunday at the Etihad Stadium. Despite dominating possession and creating pressure, Erling Haaland and his teammates found themselves behind for much of the game. However, the hosts eventually walked off the pitch with smiles on their faces after a thrilling finish.
At the same time, Brighton produced a commanding display in the other Premier League fixture of the night, putting four goals past Aston Villa. Jack Hinshelwood scored twice, while Maxim De Cuyper and Victor Lindelof also found the net.
All the drama in the City-Bournemouth clash was saved for the final 10 minutes. After falling behind in the 26th minute, City dominated possession and had 68 percent of the ball in the first half. Yet, despite their control of the game, they managed only two shots on target and struggled to create a clear-cut chance.
The pattern continued after the break. City kept the ball and controlled the tempo, but the much-needed equaliser remained elusive.
Then, with just five minutes of normal time remaining, Marc Guehi finally brought relief to the home side. The defender made amends for his earlier mistake by heading the ball into the net from a corner delivered by Rayan Cherki.
Cherki’s delivery was outstanding, picking out Guehi in acres of space right in front of goal. A defensive mistake from Bournemouth gave City the opening they needed, and Guehi made no mistake from close range to bring the hosts level.
At that point, it looked as though the game was heading towards a draw. But the drama was far from over, with Josko Gvardiol emerging as the hero.
The Croatian defender beat Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi and slipped inside while avoiding the offside trap. Rayan Cherki then produced another moment of brilliance, dribbling past a defender before threading a perfectly weighted pass through a crowded penalty area to find Gvardiol.
The City defender kept his composure and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner, completing an incredible comeback and sealing all three points for the hosts.
In the other match of the night, Aston Villa were completely outplayed away at Brighton. The statistics told the story, with Brighton enjoying 73 percent possession throughout the match. They also registered 21 shots, six of which were on target.
Jack Hinshelwood was the star of the show with a brace, while Maxim De Cuyper and Victor Lindelof added one goal each to complete Brighton’s emphatic 4-0 victory.
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