BRAJAN GRUDA scored a dramatic late winner as Brighton came from behind for a second season in a row to leave Pep Guardiola feeling sick.
The German midfielder rose from the bench to race on to a wonderful pass from Yankuba Minteh before firing home.
It was no more than the Seagulls deserved in a game that was changed by a QUADRUPLE substitution just after the hour mark.
City were in the driving seat when Erling Haaland celebrated his 100th Premier League game with his 88th goal 11 minutes before the break.
But on came James Milner, Georginio Rutter, Gruda and Yasin Ayari — and the game was spun on its head.
The turning point came in the 67th minute when referee Darren English awarded Brighton penalty when Lewis Dunk’s shot which was destined for row Z struck Matheus Nunes on the arm.
VAR withheld the on-field call, adjudging the City star had it far enough away from his body for it to count as being in an unnatural position.
It seemed harsh but up stepped Milner — 39 years, seven months and 27 days young — to show all his experience and quality to convert from the spot.
In doing so he became the second oldest goalscorer in Premier League history — only behind Teddy Sheringham who was 40 at West Ham.
Guardiola faced questions whether he should change his tippy-tappy football footballing philosophy — but he pointed to the 18 trophies he has won at City, including six Premier Leagues and a Champions League triumph, he has won in nine years with the club.
And he also stuck to his belief that Trafford is going to be a top keeper.
Having re-signed the 22-year-old former City academy player from Burnley this summer, there were question marks over his credentials after making an absolute howler in the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham last weekend.
But, even with the proven world-class quality of Ederson on the bench, Guardiola stuck to his guns.
And Trafford produced an assured performance — making a fine first-half save from Kaoru Mitoma.
But the man who saved two penalties in a match last season for Burnley against Sunderland was sent the wrong way by Milner.
Guardiola kept faith James Trafford despite his howler in the 2-0 loss against Tottenham.
The 22-year-old keeper can count himself lucky with such a world-class No1 in Ederson waiting in the wings.
Brighton’s Diego Gomez needed treatment after being on the receiving end of a folllow-through from Tijjani Reijnders.
It was a nasty challenge and Fabian Hurzeler was immediately in the ear of four official Simon Hooper.
But ref Darren English opted to just have a word with the Dutchman.
City opened up Brighton when Omar Marmoush sent Haaland on his way but the big striker’s effofrt from the edge of the box lacked enough power to trouble Bart Verbruggen.
The referee had a stern work with Haaland and Jan Paul van Hecke after some push and shoving.
There was quite a bit of needle in the game.
Jack Hinshelwood was penalised after bringing down Marmoush — and then Haaland barged into Van Hecke before the Brighton player went in late on Reijnders.
Finally English produced a yellow card to the Dutch centre-half.
Van Hecke does love to get stuck into City. It was the third of his 13 yellow card in his five years with the Seagulls.
Brighton created their first chance when Minteh won the ball back in his own half before Kaoru Mitoma was sent on his way.
But Trafford made a decent save, pushing the shot away for a corner.
Haaland had another two quick chances to break the deadlock.
First Oscar Bobb won the ball in the Brighton half and found Reijnders, who played Haaland into space on the edge of the box but he scuffed his effort.
And then he leapt brilliantly to meet a high Rayan Ait-Nouri cross to the back stick — but his header was brilliantly kept out by Verbruggen.
You rarely get away with giving Haaland one chance, never mind three, but Brighton were not getting away with a fourth one.
Bobb was once again central to it, winning possession and feeding the ball into Marmoush.
He managed to weave past a couple of challenges before poking the ball through to Haaland to slam home from close range.
After the break Bobb missed a glorious chance when he failed to reach a wonderful pass across the six-yard box and put his effort wide.
Hurzeler then made that big change just after the hour.
Mintoma cut open the City defence for Minteh to run on to but his effort was brilliantly pushed over by Trafford.
And Albion were given a lifeline when England pointed to the spot after Dunk’s shot struck Nunes’ arm
Ayari almost produced a wonderful piece of magic to get Brighton in front.
Stepping in from the right before curling a shot just over before the late show.
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