Leaders City lose at home to Brighton as United’s Carrick on the brink

Brighton and Hove Albion’s Yasin Ayari scores his side’s first goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester City and Brighton and Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium. (is associated with: «Leaders City lose at home to Brighton as United’s Carrick on the brink») Martin Rickett/PA Wire/dpa

Brighton avenged their League Cup loss to Manchester City as they held on for a narrow 1-0 win at the Premier League leaders on Saturday.

Yasin Ayari’s early strike proved the difference as the Seagulls delivered on manager Fabian Hürzeler’s stated desire for revenge after their penalty shoot-out defeat at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

It was a second successive Premier League defeat for leaders City after opening the campaign with seven wins in a row.

Champions Arsenal will now have the chance to move above City when they travel to Liverpool on Sunday.

Michael Carrick’s future as Manchester United coach looks increasingly untenable after his side imploded in the second half to lose 2-0 at Chelsea.

A third defeat in a row, which made it nine matches without a win in all competitions for the first time since 1988-89, brought the inevitable chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning” from home fans. But what will hurt most for United’s beleaguered manager will be the way he was let down yet again by senior players.

Lisandro Martínez, publicly outspoken earlier this month, was booked twice inside two minutes.

The second yellow, for an arm raised to Wesley Fofana, also saw a penalty conceded from which Cole Palmer made it 2-0 to Chelsea, after Morgan Rogers had scored a brilliant solo goal to show up United’s awful finishing.

The irony for Carrick is that his team had dominated the first half.

A calamitous error from Leeds goalkeeper James Trafford set in-form Bournemouth on course for a 2-0 Premier League victory at the Vitality Stadium.

The England international inexplicably gave away possession following a short goal-kick, allowing Justin Kluivert to set up Cherries forward Evanilson to score his fifth goal in six games in the 31st minute.

Substitute Amine Adli sealed Bournemouth’s third successive top-flight success – and sixth in all competitions – in added time to lift them a point above Leeds in the table.

Igor Thiago was back among the goals while Nottingham Forest fired blanks again in a 2-0 defeat at Brentford.

Coventry climbed out of the relegation zone with a 3-1 win over Sunderland that leaves the Black Cats rooted to the bottom of the table.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto’s first Premier League goal put Frank Lampard’s side ahead 17 minutes in, Taiwo Awoniyi’s first league goal for Coventry doubled the lead eight minutes before the break and Jack Rudoni all but killed it early in the second half.

Sunderland were offered a little hope when Enzo Le Fee sent Carl Rushworth the wrong way from the penalty spot in the 67th minute, but they grew increasingly frustrated and finished the match with 10 men as Omar Alderete was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time.

Hull maintained their unbeaten home record but saw their winless run continue after a cat-and-mouse 2-2 draw with Ipswich.

FILE PHOTO – Manchester United’s Lisandro Martínez reacts after being sent off during the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge (is associated with: «Leaders City lose at home to Brighton as United’s Carrick on the brink») Adam Davy/PA Wire/dpa

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