Ethan Pinnock consigned Treble-chasing Manchester City to a final-day defeat as Brentford completed a Premier League double over the champions.

Defender Pinnock celebrated signing a new four-year contract earlier in the day by scoring an 85th-minute winner to snatch a 1-0 victory for the Bees.

With the title long since sewn up, Pep Guardiola rested some of his big hitters ahead of next weekend’s FA Cup final, and a potentially historic Champions League showpiece seven days later.

With Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish missing completely and Erling Haaland left on the bench, it was a scratch City side and those established stars who did play, like Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez, had little impact.

Brentford still had something to play for, by contrast, as they were in with a slim chance of qualifying for the Europa Conference League before wins for Tottenham and Aston Villa ultimately scuppered their hopes.

Their players applauded the champions onto the pitch, but that was as far as the respect stretched.

The Bees may still be adjusting to life without suspended striker Ivan Toney but they remain a potent threat, with Yoane Wissa beating Emerson with a curler against the far post before an offside flag was raised.

Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, who looks destined to leave the club this summer, had to make an early diving save to deny Cole Palmer before Kalvin Phillips, getting another run-out in a midfield three alongside Palmer and Rico Lewis, sent a low shot wide.

Emerson saved well from Vitaly Janelt’s snap-shot at a corner as Brentford pressed, and the German midfielder lifted another effort over the crossbar.

After the break Brentford, who won at the Etihad in November, felt they should have had a penalty after Lewis slid in on Ben Mee.

But referee John Brooks waved away the appeals – with VAR agreeing – and then booked Bees head coach Thomas Frank for his protests.

By now City well and truly had their eye on the bigger battles to come, but the Bees kept driving forward and Frank Onyeka’s drive flew over before Bryan Mbeumo just failed to get a touch on to Janelt’s chip into the area.

The winner came from a cross by substitute Kevin Schade which was headed back across goal by Mbeumo and emphatically finished by Pinnock.

City briefly woke up and Raya somehow denied Palmer an equaliser from close range.

Defeat meant City did not break the 90-point mark for a record fourth time in the Premier League, which will irritate Guardiola,  but if they win their next two matches – at Wembley and in Istanbul – even the perfectionist will have forgotten that.

Manchester City’s third-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson has signed a new 12-month contract, the Premier League champions have announced.

The 37-year-old former England international has made just two first-team appearances since joining City, initially on loan, in 2019 but has been an important part of manager Pep Guardiola’s squad.

“I’m excited to be staying at City,” Carson told the club’s website, www.mancity.com. “I love working with Pep, (coach) Xabi Mancisidor and our incredible players every day.

“Hopefully I can help all of our goalkeepers be at their best.”

Guardiola said: “We have him in the locker room and you cannot believe the impact.”

Ex-Manchester United winger Nani believes the "emotional" power of the Champions League is something that cannot be explained.

Manchester City and Inter will meet at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium next month, with the Premier League club chasing a potential treble in Turkey.

It marks the second final for Pep Guardiola's team after their 2021 loss to Chelsea, while Inter will feature in a Champions League final for the first time since they won the competition in 2010.

Nani, who now plays for Melbourne Victory in the A-League, reached three finals between 2008 and 2011 with United, and describes the showpiece game as an indescribable event.

"It's true, you get emotional," he said in an interview with the Go Turkiye YouTube Channel. "It's something you can't explain.

"When I heard the [Champions League] music, I used to sing at the same time. The experience on the field is amazing, it makes you nervous, it makes you anxious for the start of the game.

"But playing in the final is something else. It is something that any player wants to experience. I've been lucky in my career to have been able to play in three finals. I was lucky enough to win one of them.

"That feeling is amazing. For a player to explain, it is difficult.

"It is a lot of pressure. On a stage where you're playing against so many stars, I was very nervous but in the end everything went well.

"When you win the game, you just think about celebrating with your team-mates, with your family, and with the people who love you."

Asked if any of his former team-mates stood out for their dedication to European question, Nani picked out ex-United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, who won his first Champions League title with the club in 2008.

"He's been the best player everywhere he's been," he added. "Ronaldo was amazing. In the Champions League. He always treated those matches differently.

"His preparation and concentration for these matches was completely different from league games. [But] I had a lot of players I enjoyed playing with.

"[Take] Paul Scholes, Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, and Patrice Evra. All of these players had an elite mentality when it came to the Champions League. It was very special."

Fenerbahce forward Michy Batshuayi, meanwhile, pointed to one of his former Chelsea team-mates.

"For me, it was Eden Hazard," Batshuayi said.

"What I liked about him was how relaxed he was, for him, the game was very simple, and because of this, he found it very easy to beat the opponent.

"I love that mentality, it doesn’t put pressure on the player. I have many other players like [Cesc] Fabregas, David Luiz and John Terry."

Erling Haaland is a "machine" who has banished any doubts over his abilities during his extraordinary debut season with Manchester City, says former Manchester United winger Nani.

Haaland has led City to the brink of a treble in his first campaign since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, with Pep Guardiola's men retaining their Premier League title and reaching the finals of the FA Cup and Champions League.

The striker has hit an astonishing 52 goals in as many appearances this term, at least 12 more than any other player from Europe's top five leagues (Kylian Mbappe is second with 40).

Thirty-six of those efforts have come in the Premier League, with Haaland breaking Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole's shared record of 34 goals in a single campaign in the competition – despite both men reaching that tally in 42-game seasons (Shearer in 1994-95 and Cole in 1993-94).   

While Nani will hope his former side can keep Haaland quiet in next week's all-Manchester FA Cup final, he has been taken aback by the Norwegian's achievements this term.

"Haaland is a machine. I think that there are no doubts left about his qualities," Nani said in an interview with the Go Turkiye YouTube Channel.

"He's a machine inside the box, he can score in any game. He's the future."

Nani was speaking alongside another former Dortmund striker in Michy Batshuayi, who has been similarly impressed by Haaland's goalscoring prowess.

"He is crazy," Batshuayi said. "You can feel that he wants to score every single chance. 

"He's dangerous for the defenders, and he is so young. It's fantastic to watch a player like him, because you can see that he knows how to do his job, he's impressive."

Despite Haaland scoring 20 league goals in each of his two full campaigns with Dortmund, doubts were raised over the 22-year-old's ability to adapt to English football – particularly when Arsenal seized control of the title race.

Haaland has since silenced his doubters, and Nani says doing so in a foreign country is no mean feat.

"When players are young, moving from your country to a different country is always difficult," the Melbourne Victory winger added.

"What I can say is, for the player, to be calm and try to adapt to the culture, just play the game they know, adjust to the new challenge, because it is not easy. 

"I've played in many different countries, many different cultures, and the most important thing is for you to adapt to what the people from that country do."

Internationally acclaimed Brazilian pop superstar, Anitta, will co-headline the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi on June 10. Joining GRAMMY-award winner Burna Boy, Anitta is expected to captivate audiences with a mesmerizing performance at the world's biggest annual sporting event.

Coming off a remarkable year marked by the release of her fifth studio album, 'Versions Of Me,' and a GRAMMY nomination for "Best New Artist," the sensational artist behind hits like 'Envolver' will infuse Istanbul's Atatürk Olympic Stadium with her renowned high-energy pop production. Her performance will enthrall millions of fans around the globe, moments before the commencement of the most significant fixture in club football.

 To heighten anticipation for this highly anticipated performance, Pepsi has released an exhilarating short film titled 'The Prep' (LINK), featuring Anitta and Burna Boy in their element. In the film, accompanied by Burna Boy's "It's Plenty" and Anitta's "Envolver," the artists prepare for their epic Kick Off Show performance in their football-style dressing rooms. They then emerge into the iconic UEFA Champions League tunnel, walking side by side, before entering a sold-out stadium, sending shivers down the spectators' spines.

 Anitta expressed her excitement, stating, "I'm thrilled that the news is finally out! I'm delighted to perform at the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi, co-headlining alongside Burna Boy. We'll deliver an unforgettable show to fans in the stadium and worldwide, so make sure to tune in on June 10th - you won't want to miss this!"

 For the first time ever, Pepsi is giving fans the opportunity of a lifetime to be a part of this show-stopping performance through the #PepsiKickOffShow challenge. Launched in March, the challenge invites fans to showcase their best ball skills and dance moves. Watch the video here.

 Gustavo Reyna, Pepsi's Senior Director of Global Marketing, added, "Every year, we take pride in collaborating with the most prominent and thrilling music artists to provide fans worldwide with unparalleled entertainment. In this year's 2023 UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi, global superstars Anitta and Burna Boy, who embody our 'Thirsty For More' philosophy celebrating people's thirst for life, will co-headline. We're excited to witness fans actively participate in this unmissable show through the #PepsiKickOffShow challenge. It promises to be an extraordinary spectacle!"

 UEFA Marketing Director, Guy-Laurent Epstein, commented, "This season's spectacle promises to be unforgettable, with an exciting lineup of artists set to grace the stage ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final in Istanbul. We're proud of our longstanding partnership with Pepsi, which allows us to bring even more excitement to fans. We eagerly await sharing this season's UEFA Champions League Kick Off Show by Pepsi with everyone."

 This marks the seventh year that Pepsi and UEFA have celebrated the Champions League Final with a sensational music performance, showcasing the most thrilling artists from around the world. This exceptional entertainment spectacle unites football and music fans worldwide. The Kick Off Show by Pepsi will be broadcasted in over 200 countries worldwide.

Erling Haaland has set his sights on history as Manchester City chase the treble.

The striker remained focused on City’s finals as he collected the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year award in London on Thursday.

Haaland has scored 52 goals in 51 games for City – ahead of Sunday’s Premier League finale at Brentford – following his £51million move from Borussia Dortmund last summer.

City face Inter Milan in Istanbul in the Champions League final on June 10, a week after they play Manchester United in the FA Cup final, having already won the Premier League.

They are aiming to emulate their city rivals’ achievement of 1999.

Haaland said: “There are two finals left, we have to stay focused even though we won the Premier League.

“We have to stay focused to achieve what we can achieve in the next two finals. I will do everything I can to achieve good things in the finals and hopefully win both.

“It’s a good thing being favourites (against Inter Milan) because it means we have qualities, we have to attack the game in our way, play our football and in the end we’ll see who wins it.”

Haaland earned 82 per cent of the votes to win the FWA award, 75 years after Sir Stanley Matthews won the first trophy, ahead of Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.

“I feel good, it’s a special moment,” he added, speaking to the FWA. “I expected to do good things but, to do this, I didn’t expect.”

He has broken the record for the most Premier League goals in a season with 36 as Manchester City wrapped up a third straight title with three games to spare, having trailed Arsenal by eight points at one stage.

“It’s really just about taking it game-by-game, to be honest, and to focus on what we can focus about,” said the 22-year-old.

“I don’t like to focus on the future or the past. I like to live in moment and I like to take it game-by-game – exactly what he (Pep Guardiola) said we were going to do and that’s what we did.

“We focused and we achieved exactly what we wanted to achieve. In then end it’s unreal what we did, being behind all season and we came like a unit together. It was amazing and an amazing feeling.”

Chelsea’s Sam Kerr took the women’s award, making the Australian the first player to win the trophy in consecutive seasons.

The striker scored the winner in Chelsea’s 1-0 FA Cup final triumph over Manchester United earlier this month.

Chelsea, who have a two-point lead over Manchester United, know victory at Reading on Saturday will seal the WSL title on the final day of the season.

Kerr said: “It’s amazing. It’s something that I’m very proud of. Off the back of the Euros women’s football has grown a lot. Walking down the street, the crowds are bigger. Everything’s just increased over the last year.

“I think to some people it might look easy but every year it gets harder and harder (to win the league). Anyone that’s involved in football knows how hard it is to come back year after year and to stay at the top. So we’re doing everything to win on Saturday.”

Pep Guardiola believes the perceived injustice of Erling Haaland’s disallowed goal in Wednesday’s thrilling 1-1 draw at Brighton proves Manchester City are Premier League champions on their own merits.

City top scorer Haaland looked to have claimed a late winner at the Amex Stadium but his close-range header from Cole Palmer’s cross was ruled out after VAR spotted a shirt pull on Levi Colwill.

Guardiola was visibly angered by the decision after seeing a replay on the big screen inside the ground and was later shown a yellow card by referee Simon Hooper for his ongoing protestations.

The City boss claims 36-goal striker Haaland has endured similar physical contact from defenders all season and feels the incident shows his side have not benefited from favourable refereeing calls during their charge to the title.

“If it’s disallowed, every action to Erling Haaland by all central defenders is a fault,” he said.

“Every action. And we saw one or two (on Wednesday).

“It’s a goal because he’s bigger, he’s stronger, he won the position (from Colwill) and it was an incredible action from Cole Palmer and the goal should be given.

“But that proved that what we won on the pitch belongs to us, not anyone gave us anything.

“He has bruises on all of his body after the games. If he’s faulting in the disallowed goal, every action to him is a fault and never happens.”

Haaland, who squandered two excellent first-half chances, nodded home 11 minutes from time in front of the travelling fans after Julio Enciso’s stunning strike cancelled out Phil Foden’s opener.

A gripping south-coast contest halted City’s top-flight winning streak at 12 games but mattered little in the context of their season.

that proved that what we won on the pitch belongs to us, not anyone gave us anything.

Guardiola’s men enjoyed alcohol-fuelled celebrations after lifting the Premier League trophy following Sunday’s 1-0 win over Chelsea and are bidding to complete the treble with FA Cup and Champions League glory.

Following Sunday’s visit to Brentford, City face rivals Manchester United at Wembley on June 3 before attempting to become European champions for the first time against Inter Milan in Istanbul a week later.

Guardiola has defensive issues moving towards the two finals after Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and Manuel Akanji missed the trip to Sussex.

Jack Grealish was also absent, while John Stones and Foden were withdrawn during the game as a precaution.

“Phil had a knock in the first half and problems in his leg and the doctor told me that in this position it is dangerous so we don’t take a risk,” said Guardiola.

“John at the end was a little tight but he didn’t feel anything and is fine, he told me, but we didn’t want to take a risk because we had just one central defender with John.

“The others are injured so hopefully they can recover as soon as possible.

“We sustained no injuries for a long time but the moment we get near the Champions League final, four or five players get little niggles – important ones – and we have to recover them.”

Sixth-placed Brighton cemented their spot in next season’s Europa League with the midweek point.

Pascal Gross, the Seagulls’ first signing following promotion to the top flight in 2017, told his club’s website: “I’m so proud of the boys, what an achievement for us.

“We can’t wait for the Europa League. What a season ahead.”

Paraguayan Enciso’s spectacular equaliser followed another goal of the season contender from the 19-year-old in last month’s 2-1 win at Chelsea.

“He can have it (goal of the season),” said Gross. “Two incredible goals.

“What I like more, he’s getting better and better. It’s not easy coming from far away abroad with no English.

“But he’s improving speaking English, he’s improving adapting to the group, a good guy and I think there’s much more to come.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola claimed his newly-crowned Premier League champions “drank all the alcohol in Manchester” ahead of a pulsating 1-1 draw at Brighton.

Guardiola was concerned his treble-chasing side may suffer a hangover in Sussex following the jubilation of the weekend’s title celebrations.

But the Spaniard was pleasantly surprised by the performance of his players during a gripping south-coast contest.

Phil Foden fired City ahead at the Amex Stadium before Julio Enciso’s stunning equaliser cemented sixth-placed Albion’s place in next season’s Europa League.

Erling Haaland was denied a late winner due to VAR spotting his shirt pull on Seagulls defender Levi Colwill.

“I was a little bit worried about how much we would drop our (level) with what we had done the last four, five, six months,” said Guardiola.

“Forty hours (ago) we drank all the alcohol in Manchester and the way they played was outstanding.

“I enjoyed it a lot, especially being champions.

“You have to come here to win the game, we know it will be tough. They are a fantastic team in all departments, that’s why they are in the Europa League, well deserved.

“And also we showed why we are the best team in England.”

Guardiola had a relatively early night after the trophy presentation which followed Sunday’s 1-0 win over Chelsea, while City’s players recovered with saunas the next day.

“At 10.30pm, I was in bed with my wife, I was exhausted,” he said.

“I watched Match of the Day and I slept like a baby but I know the players did what they have to do.

“When you win the Premier League you have to celebrate. They did it with the families, they enjoyed it a lot and the next morning was just sauna time.

“And the day after, we talked a little bit in the afternoon: ‘Guys, we have to be ready for Brighton’ and they did it.”

City, who complete a victorious top-flight campaign at Brentford on Sunday, were given a guard of honour by their hosts ahead of kick-off.

Foden opened the scoring in the 25th minute with his fifth goal in as many starts against the Seagulls before Enciso’s spectacular finish halted City’s top-flight winning streak at 12 games.

Guardiola believes the high-level contest will be vital preparation for the forthcoming FA Cup final against Manchester United, which is followed by a Champions League showdown with Inter Milan in Istanbul.

“We need these opponents to bring us in our maximum,” he said. “This is so important. Brentford will be the same.

“It’s really, really good the teams help us maintain that level because the finals you have to play in that level otherwise it will be so difficult.”

Guardiola was hopeful regarding the knocks which forced off Foden and John Stones, while confirming the absentees – Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Manuel Akanji and Jack Grealish – have injury issues.

The thrilling encounter was a fitting final home game of an unforgettable campaign for record-breaking Brighton and banished the remote chance of them slipping into the Europa Conference League on the final day at seventh-placed Aston Villa.

Seagulls head coach Roberto De Zerbi said: “I am happy because we have to respect our club, our fans but we have to show the courage, show we believe in ourselves to win against the best team in the world.

“We needed one point. We didn’t receive a gift. We deserved to make a point today.

“I am really proud because I think today has been one of the best games in this season.

“(It was) very tough but we played with an incredible quality. We deserve to play in the Europa League for our mentality.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola claimed his newly-crowned Premier League champions “drank all the alcohol in Manchester” ahead of a pulsating 1-1 draw at Brighton.

Guardiola was concerned his treble-chasing side may suffer a hangover in Sussex following the jubilation of the weekend’s title celebrations.

But the Spaniard was pleasantly surprised by the performance of his players during a gripping south-coast contest.

Phil Foden fired City ahead at the Amex Stadium before Julio Enciso’s stunning equaliser cemented sixth-placed Albion’s place in next season’s Europa League.

Erling Haaland was denied a late winner due to VAR spotting his shirt pull on Seagulls defender Levi Colwill.

“I was a little bit worried about how much we would drop our (level) with what we had done the last four, five, six months,” said Guardiola.

“Forty hours (ago) we drank all the alcohol in Manchester and the way they played was outstanding.

“I enjoyed it a lot, especially being champions.

“You have to come here to win the game, we know it will be tough. They are a fantastic team in all departments, that’s why they are in the Europa League, well deserved.

“And also we showed why we are the best team in England.”

Guardiola had a relatively early night after the trophy presentation which followed Sunday’s 1-0 win over Chelsea, while City’s players recovered with saunas the next day.

“At 10.30pm, I was in bed with my wife, I was exhausted,” he said.

“I watched Match of the Day and I slept like a baby but I know the players did what they have to do.

“When you win the Premier League you have to celebrate. They did it with the families, they enjoyed it a lot and the next morning was just sauna time.

“And the day after, we talked a little bit in the afternoon: ‘Guys, we have to be ready for Brighton’ and they did it.”

City, who complete a victorious top-flight campaign at Brentford on Sunday, were given a guard of honour by their hosts ahead of kick-off.

Foden opened the scoring in the 25th minute with his fifth goal in as many starts against the Seagulls before Enciso’s spectacular finish halted City’s top-flight winning streak at 12 games.

Guardiola believes the high-level contest will be vital preparation for the forthcoming FA Cup final against Manchester United, which is followed by a Champions League showdown with Inter Milan in Istanbul.

“We need these opponents to bring us in our maximum,” he said. “This is so important. Brentford will be the same.

“It’s really, really good the teams help us maintain that level because the finals you have to play in that level otherwise it will be so difficult.”

Guardiola was hopeful regarding the knocks which forced off Foden and John Stones, while confirming the absentees – Nathan Ake, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, Manuel Akanji and Jack Grealish – have injury issues.

The thrilling encounter was a fitting final home game of an unforgettable campaign for record-breaking Brighton and banished the remote chance of them slipping into the Europa Conference League on the final day at seventh-placed Aston Villa.

Seagulls head coach Roberto De Zerbi said: “I am happy because we have to respect our club, our fans but we have to show the courage, show we believe in ourselves to win against the best team in the world.

“We needed one point. We didn’t receive a gift. We deserved to make a point today.

“I am really proud because I think today has been one of the best games in this season.

“(It was) very tough but we played with an incredible quality. We deserve to play in the Europa League for our mentality.”

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola claimed his newly-crowned Premier League champions “drank all the alcohol in Manchester” ahead of a pulsating 1-1 draw at Brighton.

Guardiola was concerned his treble-chasing side may suffer a hangover in Sussex following the jubilation of the weekend’s title celebrations.

But the Spaniard was pleasantly surprised by the performance of his players during a gripping south-coast contest.

Phil Foden fired City ahead at the Amex Stadium before Julio Enciso’s stunning equaliser cemented sixth-placed Albion’s place in next season’s Europa League.

Erling Haaland was denied a late winner due to VAR spotting his shirt pull on Seagulls defender Levi Colwill.

“I was a little bit worried about how much we would drop our (level) with what we had done the last four, five, six months,” said Guardiola.

“Forty hours (ago) we drank all the alcohol in Manchester and the way they played was outstanding.

“I enjoyed it a lot, especially being champions.

“You have to come here to win the game, we know it will be tough. They are a fantastic team in all departments, that’s why they are in the Europa League, well deserved.

“And also we showed why we are the best team in England.”

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.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has called for more than 100 Premier League charges levelled against the club for alleged financial regularities to be resolved immediately.

City were referred to an independent commission in February over alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018, with the Premier League also accusing City of not co-operating since the investigation started in December 2018.

The sheer scale of the charges, which the club strongly deny, and the magnitude of the implications if found guilty suggest it is a case which will drag on for months, possibly years.

However, Guardiola does not want a cloud hanging over his side’s remarkable achievements and wants a resolution as soon as possible.

But the Catalan, who has a contract until 2025, stressed he would not walk away from the club while potential sanctions remain.

“I will stay next season while there are 110 breaches against us,” said Guardiola, who when asked whether he could extend three or four years beyond that added: “No, no, no. These two are enough.

“What I would like is if the Premier League and judges could make something as soon as possible, then if we have done something wrong everybody will know it.

“And if, we are like we believe as a club for many years, in the right way then the people will stop talking about that.

“We would love it tomorrow, this afternoon better than tomorrow.

“Hopefully they are not so busy and the judges can see both sides and decide what is the best because in the end I know fairly what we won we won on the pitch and we don’t have any doubts.

“We accept it is there. If it happened it happened. (But) let’s go, 24 hours sit down and lawyers present. Don’t wait two years. Why don’t we do it quicker?

“Let’s have it as soon as possible for the benefit of everyone. We want to defend our principles and if people doubt, OK, let’s go, let’s do it as soon as possible please.”

The alleged breaches concern the reporting of accurate financial information, the submission of details of manager and player pay information within the relevant contracts, a club’s responsibility as a Premier League member to adhere to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations and to the league’s own profitability and sustainability regulations.

The club are also alleged to have breached rules requiring them to co-operate and assist with the Premier League’s investigation into those breaches, which the league says began in December 2018.

City have just won a fifth title in six seasons, and have won it seven times since 2011, and are chasing a treble with FA Cup and Champions League finals to come, but while the charges still loom large over the club Guardiola is not close to losing his hunger to win more domestic titles.

“Introduce me to a manager who doesn’t want to win. I’m scared to lose, I don’t want to be criticised, I want respect from my players,” he added.

“What we say, what we do, is to win. I accept my defeats because I always accept that the opponents can be better and beat us.

“So when people say we failed or lost it is like the others are s***. But the others can be good and beat us. It’s like ignoring the other ones.

“When people say now that next season just Manchester City can win the Premier league they are stupid comments.

“Next season will be tough because all clubs want to beat us. That is the challenge. Next season we defend our crown, it belongs to us for one year and we will work for it.

“If they (rivals) want it they have to do it better than us. But if it happens, we will congratulate them.

“United can beat us (in the FA Cup). Inter can beat us. They have three Champions Leagues, we don’t have any, but we have to do our best to try to avoid it.”

Roberto De Zerbi revealed Lewis Dunk has played through the pain barrier to aid Brighton’s European quest as he backed his captain for an England recall.

Seagulls centre-back Dunk has been ever-present in the Premier League this campaign but could begin on the bench against champions Manchester City on Wednesday evening due to ongoing calf and back issues.

Albion boss De Zerbi admits the 31-year-old took time to adapt to his high-intensity, possession-based style of play after he replaced Graham Potter in September.

Yet the Italian says influential leader Dunk has since cemented his status as a guaranteed starter and “deserves” another shot at international football.

“At first it was not so easy for him to understand my idea but he gave me total availability,” said De Zerbi.

“I would like him to be more open because he doesn’t speak a lot but he’s an example inside of the dressing room, inside of the pitch.

“He’s playing with a lot of problems because he has calf and back problems but he is playing every game.

“Tomorrow he can start on the bench but I don’t know because if he can play with me in Brighton, he has to play always.”

England manager Gareth Southgate will on Wednesday name his squad for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.

Dunk was capped by Southgate in a 3-0 friendly win over the United States in November 2018 but has not featured again for his country.

“He deserves to play in the national team,” said De Zerbi.

“It’s not my work to decide the players of the national team but for us it should be a target.

“I hope he can play in the national team.”

Brighton secured continental football next term with two games to spare thanks to Sunday’s 3-1 win over relegated Southampton.

Sixth-placed Albion will almost certainly be in the Europa League due to their healthy goal difference but need one more point to banish any prospect of having to settle for the Europa Conference League.

De Zerbi has warned the Seagulls must improve their squad during the summer in order to avoid potentially following divisional rivals Leicester and West Ham in slipping from European contenders to relegation candidates.

The Foxes are on the brink of falling into the Sky Bet Championship after playing in Europe during the previous two seasons, while David Moyes’ Europa Conference League finalists were in danger of the drop for much of this campaign.

“I push with Tony (Bloom, Brighton owner) to improve the squad every day,” said De Zerbi.

“I don’t want my club to spend too much money but we have to improve. To compete in four competitions, we have to improve and know the situation.

“Leicester, West Ham this year explain the Premier League.

“If you don’t improve year by year you can find a surprise the year after because our achievement this year is not important for the next year.

“Next year we will start not in sixth position, we start level with the other teams.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expects an inevitable drop off in intensity from his players now the Premier League has been retained but warned them that major challenges still lie in wait.

A fifth title in six years was attained following Arsenal’s defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, which essentially gave City three ‘free’ games until the end of the domestic campaign.

They have already dispensed with Chelsea and Brighton follow on Wednesday before Brentford on the final day, but the bigger picture is the FA Cup final against Manchester United and the Champions League final against Inter Milan.

“They have the party after the (Chelsea) game. I don’t know how they feel,” said Guardiola.

“They have to be ready to run a lot. The best way to prepare for the final is be ready. The players set the standards, they have to maintain it.

“It’s normal the energy would drop. Arsenal play for just the Premier League, we have FA Cup, Champions League, the energy we spend is massive.

“It’s normal you drop, you have to avoid it or don’t drop much otherwise the two teams (Brighton and Brentford) can hurt us.

“Play our game, adapt the way we play, arrive to United and Inter in the best condition possible.”

Guardiola has plenty of options at his disposal in terms of being able to keep his players fresh, so there should be no excuse for a huge drop off in performance.

Against Chelsea he made nine changes, allowing him to be able to bring on the likes of 52-goal striker Erling Haaland, playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and John Stones while not even using Jack Grealish or the in-form Ilkay Gundogan.

That meant a first Premier League start for Kalvin Phillips, who has had a difficult debut season since arriving from Leeds for £42million.

Guardiola insists all his squad still have a part to play.

“Everyone can have influence, sometimes five minutes is as important as the rest,” he added.

“Everyone has been important, everyone has been involved in the fact we are where we are.”

The City boss, however, remains wary of Brighton, who are riding the crest of a wave having qualified for Europe for the first time in their history.

Guardiola is a huge fan of the work done by Roberto De Zerbi since taking over from Graham Potter.

“Congratulations for Brighton for this incredible achievement for the Europa League,” he said.

“Pay attention to what I’m going to say. I’m pretty convinced I’m right in what I’m saying: I think Roberto is one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years.

“There is no team playing the way they play, it’s unique. I have the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn’t expect them to do it in this short space of time.

“If you don’t play at a high level he can do whatever he wants against you. They deserve completely the compliments and the success they have, one of the teams I try to learn a lot from.

“Brighton is the master of passing the ball to the man free, but also when to pass to the free man.

“They move at the right time, this is the best at the world, for the right tempo and the free man.”

Ilkay Gundogan is determined not to lose momentum as Manchester City aim to close out the season by winning the treble.

City claimed the first of the three trophies they are chasing by winning the Premier League title over the weekend.

Their sights are now set on adding the FA Cup and Champions League but, before they can switch thoughts fully to their two finals next month, they have to complete the league programme.

City, who are unbeaten in 24 games, wrap up their Premier League campaign by travelling to Brighton on Wednesday and Brentford next Sunday and Gundogan is wary of easing up in those matches.

The City captain said: “We haven’t lost any games for so many weeks and that’s the standard that we have to set for ourselves.

“We do nothing different – we do the same things that we’ve done in the last few weeks and hopefully it can be a really special end to the season.

“I love the club and being part of this amazing team.

“Obviously, we want to finish the season with two more trophies. We have two more big finals, and the last two games of the Premier League season are going to be preparation for that.

“We don’t want to drop anything. I would love to lift two more trophies.”

The ultimate success of City’s season will now be defined by the FA Cup final, in which they face Manchester United on June 3, and the Champions League final against Inter Milan the following week.

After a strong run throughout the spring – capped by magnificent performances in crunch games against title rivals Arsenal and then Real Madrid in the Champions League – the focus is strong.

Kevin De Bruyne, who like Gundogan is now a five-time Premier League winner, said: “We like to win, and we’re never bored of it. We’ve won a lot in the past but we want to win again and again.

“We keep on working. We enjoy the games against Brighton and Brentford and prepare for United and Inter and hopefully we can do something special.

“Everybody wants it. We know we need to win two games, but they are hard games, and we need to prepare ourselves the best as possible and hopefully we can win them.”

Midfielder Rodri is confident City can achieve their goal.

He said: “We know there is a long way to go with two big finals and we have to prepare good.

“We can do it. We believe in ourselves. We have been working to arrive in these moments and we are prepared.”

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