Julio Enciso’s stunning leveller cemented Brighton’s place in next season’s Europa League as Manchester City’s Premier League winning run was halted at 12 games by a thrilling 1-1 draw.
The 19-year-old Paraguay forward unleashed a thunderous, swerving effort into the top right corner from 25 yards seven minutes before the break to mathematically guarantee Albion a sixth-placed finish.
Phil Foden put the newly-crowned champions ahead at the Amex Stadium with his fifth goal in as many starts against the Seagulls.
But, despite bringing back a host of big names, Pep Guardiola saw his formidable side drop points for the first time since February 18 after Erling Haaland’s 79th-minute header was disallowed due to VAR spotting a shirt pull on Levi Colwill.
City boss Guardiola was angered by that decision and later shown a yellow card by referee Simon Hooper for his ongoing protestations.
Haaland had wasted two fine first-half chances, while Brighton’s Danny Welbeck rattled the crossbar from a free-kick and had a goal disallowed for offside, in addition to a Kaoru Mitoma effort being chalked off for handball.
The pulsating encounter was a fitting final home game of an unforgettable campaign for the record-breaking Seagulls and banished the remote chance of them slipping into the Europa Conference League on the final day at seventh-placed Aston Villa.
City were given a guard of honour by their hosts, four days on from securing their fifth title success in six seasons thanks to second-placed Arsenal’s defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Guardiola brought back Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne as part of six changes from Sunday’s celebratory 1-0 win over Chelsea, while Brighton captain Lewis Dunk began on bench just hours after his England recall due to ongoing calf and back issues.
Haaland – seeking to add to his 36 top-flight goals – should have put City ahead inside six minutes but wastefully headed over unmarked following Foden’s inviting delivery from the left.
Guardiola hailed rival manager Roberto De Zerbi as one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years in the build-up to the clash.
Yet City were guilty of causing their own problems in the opening exchanges with some risky passes out from the back.
The visitors were fortunate to escape Brighton’s high press on a handful of occasions before surviving in the 20th minute when Welbeck’s thumping free-kick cannoned back off the bar.
Haaland then overran the ball and saw it smothered by Seagulls goalkeeper Jason Steele after being slipped in by Foden before making amends by assisting the 25th-minute opener.
Riyad Mahrez’s superb through ball split Albion’s defence and Haaland raced clear to draw Steele and square for Foden, who slotted home to continue his fine scoring record against the Seagulls despite the best efforts of Jan Paul van Hecke on the line.
While City lifted the Premier League trophy at the weekend, Brighton jubilantly celebrated securing continental football for the first time by beating relegated Southampton 3-1.
And the Seagulls were determined to prolong the euphoria.
Mitoma saw his bundled finish ruled out and Facundo Buonanotte stung the palms of Stefan Ortega before the eye-catching equaliser arrived.
Enciso collected the ball from Colwill midway inside opposition territory and advanced to spectacularly lash high into the net from distance, prompting applause from City fans behind the goal.
Former Manchester United forward Welbeck then had a neat finish disallowed for an offside before Foden headed De Bruyne’s cross narrowly over at the end of a breathless first half.
The frantic, end-to-end action extended into the second period, albeit chances were largely at a premium.
Ilkay Gundogan flashed wide and Cole Palmer tested Steele, while Pervis Estupinan’s powerful drive flew marginally wide of the left post at the other end.
Treble-chasing City thought they had won it 11 minutes from time when Haaland found space to nod in a cross from substitute Palmer.
But, to the visible frustration of Guardiola, the close-range finish was overturned on advice from Stockley Park.
City complete their top-flight climax at Brentford before moving on to an FA Cup final against rivals Manchester United and a Champions League showdown with Inter Milan in Istanbul.
Man United could be without Toone until new year, says Skinner
Marc Skinner revealed that Manchester United could be without midfielder Ella Toone until the new year after she picked up a calf injury in training.
Toone has featured in five games in the Women's Super League this season, but is yet to register a goal or an assist so far this term.
The 25-year-old has missed United's last two games and was not selected in Sarina Wiegman's England squad for their upcoming friendlies against the United States and Switzerland.
She had previously appeared in a staggering 96 straight matches before missing United's WSL showdown with Leicester City last weekend.
But ahead of the Red Devils' meeting with league leaders Chelsea on Sunday, Skinner confirmed they would be without Toone for not only that game, but for the foreseeable future.
"We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There's always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, 'right, if we can get her back, we get her back'," Skinner said.
"But we're just not going to rush her in this moment because it's a calf injury, it's your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer.
"So ideally we'd like her back for those games afterwards.
"The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that, and then we'll see from there.
"But because it is such a short block of only three games, we'll assess whether it's worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas."
Haaland has 'full trust' in Guardiola to halt Man City slump
Erling Haaland has "full trust" in the "best manager in the world", Pep Guardiola, to get Manchester City back on track against Tottenham in the Premier League on Saturday.
Guardiola's side have lost four matches in a row across all competitions, which is the Spaniard's longest losing run in his entire managerial career.
The Citizens last lost more consecutively between March and April 2006 under Stuart Pearce (six – the fifth game of which was also against Tottenham).
But after putting pen to paper on a new two-year contract extension at the club earlier this week, Guardiola has his eyes firmly set on returning to winning ways on home soil.
And Haaland, who has scored 105 goals in 114 appearances under Guardiola at City, believes they can make up the gap to leaders Liverpool, who are five points ahead.
"When you look at what he's been doing for the club, he's not bad, is he? So he's got my full trust," Haaland told Sky Sports.
"And if he tells me something, I'd better do it because he knows the best in the end. Everyone knows that. So I'm sure he will find solutions now as well. I'm sure of that.
"[Guardiola] demands us to be at our best in every training session, in every game. And that's what we need to do. It hasn't been good enough, losing four games now, but let's try to win the next."
Al-Nassr 1-2 Al-Qadsiah: Aubameyang winner ends hosts' unbeaten run
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hit the winner as Al-Qadsiah inflicted a 2-1 defeat on Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League on Friday to end their 21-match unbeaten run.
Cristiano Ronaldo's seventh league goal of the season put Al-Nassr ahead, but Al-Qadsiah replied swiftly through Julian Quinones before Aubameyang struck the decisive blow.
The hosts drew first blood in the 32nd minute when Ronaldo slotted home after Al-Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels had spilled a routine catch from Talisca's cross.
However, Al-Nassr's joy was short-lived when Quinones brought down Turki Al Ammar's delivery five minutes later, with the Mexcio winger firing past Bento to level the scores.
Quinones also played a part in the winning goal after brilliantly turning the ball back across goal from Nahitan Nandez's search pass to tee up a simple finish for Aubameyang.
The result sees Al-Qadsiah move level on 22 points with third-placed Al-Nassr, with Al-Shabab also level with them.
Stefano Pioli's Al-Nassr are six points adrift of defending champions and leaders Al-Hilal, who also have a game in hand.
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