While Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are in the unlikeliest of positions having to battle desperately for a Champions League berth next season, the manager did not mince his words in describing the enormity of the challenge.

while Brighton got the better of Nico Gonzalez a couple of times, the first to win a free kick that was put away by Estupinan, and the second when Joao Pedro won a duel with the Spaniard and took it round him, before the visitors won the corner that ended with Abdukodir Khusanov’s own goal.