A big week? Brighton draw is 'punch in ribs' for Man City

A crucial month for Manchester City has begun badly. Pep Guardiola will hope this season does not derail in similar fashion to last season.

Patched up because of a growing list of injuries, City are seeing their title challenge fall apart. They have now drawn three games in a row. As Wednesday's match against Brighton finished 1-1, there were a few jeers at full-time.

From 1 January to 1 February, City have a run of 10 games in four different competitions. It is an arduous sequence, one to push them to their limit. With draws against Sunderland, Chelsea and now Brighton, they have so far not been up to the test.

If Arsenal beat Liverpool on Thursday, City will be eight points off the top with 17 games to play.

"The result is the result," said Guardiola. "One point for them, one point for us. It is what it is.

"The second half was quite similar against Sunderland and Chelsea - we missed the passes. I like a lot the way we play... many new players and many new things... but we don't score goals.

"Too many clear chances and all the people up front... unfortunately we could not score. Scoring goals is part of doing your job."

City had Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias and John Stones missing from the backline, with none of the trio expected to return to action until at least next month.

It had forced Guardiola to recall academy product Max Alleyne from his loan spell at Watford. The 20-year-old was given his first-team debut on a cold evening in the cauldron of the top flight.

Alleyne performed admirably on the big stage and it is not his fault he has been thrown into this in such circumstances, just as Nico O'Reilly was brought in to the set-up because of last season's injury crisis.

In the end, Erling Haaland's 150th goal for the club mattered little as they have conspired to drop six points in a week, giving a major boost to Arsenal.

With Aston Villa also drawing, Mikel Arteta's men have a golden opportunity to go eight points clear - a scenario they could only have dreamed of just last week.

"If you don't win games, we cannot think about these things," Guardiola said of the title race. "We had an incredible result against Nottingham Forest [in City's final game of 2025] and after we played three games and we played really well.

"They have momentum, Brighton move really well. Except the first five to 10 minutes we did really well in general and maybe the first half a little bit less - in the last 15-20 minutes we had incredible chances.

"Expected goals doesn't give me anything. It's how you play for goals and we could not do that today."

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville said on Sky Sports: "It feels like a big week. Manchester City drawing at home to Brighton, it feels like another punch in the ribs.

"Arsenal will be going to bed tonight, ahead of a big game tomorrow night against Liverpool, very confident of where they are at right now."

Guardiola also appears to be showing the stress that goes with dropping more points in the title race, clashing with Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler on the touchline.

German Hurzeler said "emotions are part of the football game", while the City boss said it was "absolutely" fine between the pair.

City winger Jeremy Doku added: "I think a draw at home is never really a good point. We are not that happy and would've preferred three points.

"We don't really look at the table. We try to be ourselves and score more goals."

City failed to win a major trophy last time out for the first time in eight years, which Guardiola put down to a lengthy injury list.

In addition to their defensive absentees, wingers Oscar Bobb and Savinho will be sidelined for a period of time, while midfielder Mateo Kovacic is out long term.

This week looks likely to bring the arrival of forward Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth for £65m, with the Ghanaian scoring the winner against Tottenham on Wednesday and manager Andoni Iraola confirming a deal is effectively done.

City have also stepped up efforts to sign defender Marc Guehi, though Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has said he will only sell his captain if the asking price is met.

Despite a lengthening casualty list, Guardiola has said the current situation is not the same as last season. Asked to clarify, he replied: "It's quite obvious.

"The way we played, and the energy we have. The energy and the way we play we create chances and expected goals... we just didn't put the ball in the net.

"Today Bernardo [Silva] and Erling, Rayan [Cherki] and Jeremy [Doku] - they know it. We create incredible things with the way we defend and the game is the boxes.

"We are concerned with the defence because we don't have players. The way we approach is fantastic but unfortunately we don't score goals - that is my analysis of the last three games."

City host Exeter in the FA Cup on Saturday - that will provide a chance to put things right.

Or it could be an opportunity for the League One side to inflict a damaging defeat and send City's season spiralling.