Brighton & Hove Albion orchestrated a sensational second-half comeback to stun Manchester City 2-1 at the Amex Stadium on August 31, 2025 thanks to a masterclass from two unlikely heroes off the bench.

City looked in cruise control when Erling Haaland opened the scoring on his 100th Premier League appearance, notching his 88th goal in front of the away fans . However, Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler’s daring quadruple substitution after an hour including the introduction of veteran James Milner and youngster Brajan Gruda completely shifted the momentum.

In the 67th minute, a Lewis Dunk volley struck Matheus Nunes on the arm, and VAR awarded a penalty. Milner, aged 39 years and 239 days, sent the spot kick coolly into the corner becoming the oldest-ever to score from a penalty in Premier League history .

Brighton pressed on, and in the 89th minute, it was Gruda who dashed into space to latch onto a slick through-ball and cap the stunning turnaround with a composed finish past James Trafford.

For Manchester City, the defeat marks their second loss in three league outings an alarming early-season position that hasn't occurred since 2004–05. Pep Guardiola lamented that his team "forgot to play" after Haaland’s opener and conceded that fatigue and complacency set in upon conceding the equaliser.

Milner’s emotional celebration paid tribute to his former teammate Diogo Jota a moment that touched hearts across the football world.

This fixture will linger in memory as a masterclass in timing, belief, and the drama that football delivers Milner’s wisdom and Gruda’s youthful spark combining to deliver Brighton’s first league victory of the season and leave Manchester City with more questions than answers.