Manchester City suffered a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Brighton, leaving manager Pep Guardiola to lament his team's inability to maintain their focus and composure after conceding a goal. The loss, which saw Brighton overturn Erling Haaland's first-half opener with two second-half goals, marks the second defeat in the first three league games for City, a stark contrast to their usual dominance.

Guardiola expressed his frustration, stating that his team "forgot to play" after Brighton's equalizer. He elaborated, saying they resorted to playing long balls, a tactic they were not effective at, instead of maintaining their passing game. He acknowledged the momentum shift in the game, admitting that sometimes the game changes shape, something he understands from his own playing days.

City had taken the lead in the 34th minute through Haaland, who marked his 100th Premier League appearance with a goal. City controlled the game for the first hour, and Haaland had earlier opportunities to score, with one shot being weakly hit at Brighton's keeper Bart Verbruggen. However, Brighton's manager, Fabian Hürzeler, made a quadruple substitution around the hour mark, which proved to be a turning point.

Brighton's James Milner leveled the score from the penalty spot in the 67th minute after a handball by City's Matheus Nunes. Despite a brilliant save from City goalkeeper James Trafford to deny Paul van Hecke, Brighton's Brajan Gruda scored the winning goal in the 89th minute, securing a late victory for the Seagulls.

Rodri, who made his first league start in almost a year after recovering from a knee injury, was critical of the team's performance, accusing his teammates of making "kid mistakes". He emphasized the need for the team to raise their level and concentrate better if they want to compete. Rodri also pointed out the difficulty of adapting new players into the team, but ultimately stated that there were no excuses for the loss.

Despite the disappointing result, Guardiola saw positive signs in his team's performance before the collapse. He felt they were more active compared to last season but acknowledged the need to find a way to win games. He also confirmed that Rayan Cherki is likely to be out for two months with a thigh injury.

The loss leaves Manchester City with just three points from their first three games. City's performance has led to criticism of Guardiola's post-match actions, with some fans taking to social media to express their disappointment. Some fans criticized Guardiola for not shaking hands with Brighton's manager, calling it disrespectful and unprofessional.