BrightonCity lost at Nottingham Forest last weekend to throw more doubt over whether or not they will finish in the Champions League qualification spots, and they twice coughed up a lead against Brighton to draw this weekend.

Guardiola has praised the rise of mid-table teams such as Brighton to challenge for top spots this season, and when asked on Friday if he considered Saturday's opponents as rivals, he said: "And Bournemouth, and Aston Villa, and Newcastle (United), and maybe Fulham. Fantastic teams.

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.