IT became a bit of a deluge in the end, the number of questions Pep Guardiola fielded about the guy in the other dugout before this. The Manchester City manager turned to a member of staff and suggested that maybe he ought to become Roberto De Zerbi's agent. Everybody laughed.
De Zerbi is the one hotly tipped to be taking Guardiola's gilded seat whenever the Catalan decides to pack it in. And with good reason; nobody has improved a club quite like the Italian since he chose Brighton at the start of last season. Brave, bold, capable of bossing games like this.
When venturing why he admires the 44-year-old, someone he considers a friend, which is a rare admission about a colleague, Guardiola suggested Brighton's 'body shape' makes them so dangerous. De Zerbi has worked hard individually and collectively to hone that to maximise their sharpness through the thirds.
Which is all great. Brighton are superb and will fancy the top four this year, unless Europe gets in the way. But De Zerbi committed something of a tactical error: James Milner at right-back.
Thirty-seven years old, these days. Marking Jeremy Doku, who is flying since a big summer move. Joel Veltman, a sprightly 31 who started against Liverpool before the international break, sat on the bench as Milner's body shape routinely pointed at Doku's heels. That cheered City supporters, who still resent him for how he left in 2015.
It probably cost Brighton a point, or maybe more. Not necessarily because by the time Milner found himself hooked for Veltman at half time they were a couple of goals down. More that the extra man-power and concentration required to offset the mismatch made them limper in what was a wasted first half.
So during a relentless last 15 minutes, when Manuel Akanji saw red for a second booking, Brighton might actually have been chasing a winner rather than an equaliser -also ending this with a troubling knee injury to Solly March, with Danny Welbeck having hobbled out earlier. 'It's the worst news,' De Zerbi said. 'This season is different. We're playing a different sport, we're losing too many players.'
City managed to see it out, shutting up shop after Ansu Fati nudged one back, to secure a first win in three. Relative crisis averted, coinciding with Rodri's return. 'To control the game against Brighton is impossible,' Guardiola said. 'I'm surprised we did for an hour.'
Always easier when they lead after seven minutes. Pascal Gross had gone over to help Milner, that need became clear very quickly, but even he could not stop Doku. The Belgian stood him up before changing gear and Brighton were exposed. Julian Alvarez collected the cut back, shooting off his left foot onto his right. Over Jason Steele it looped and City were away.
The big call beforehand wasn't actually the inclusion of the veteran, but rather who Guardiola opted for between the sticks. Ederson, who featured for Brazil in Uruguay on Wednesday night, dropped to the bench in place of Stefan Ortega. The travelling will presumably have factored into Guardiola's decision, yet Alvarez also gave Argentina 78 minutes in Peru on the same day.
Ortega is an able understudy and has aspirations of taking over as No 1. The key attribute Ederson possesses over pretty much every other goalkeeper in Europe is his distribution, yet Ortega hardly struggles with that either. Nerveless in moving across his goal line under pressure, the German passed through the lines as if the main man were there.
There were blemishes, however. At 2-0, a lazy floated ball out left was easily cut out by the visitors, only for Gross to scoop wide when through. De Zerbi can only be described as having gone mad towards his bench.
Anger had stirred in the 18th minute, when Haaland battered in the second. Brighton messed up a basic throw-in and Carlos Baleba gifted the ball to Haaland. Usually a box finisher, the Norwegian caught Steele early with a 20-yard finish reminiscent more of his goals for Dortmund.
The focus remained on Doku though, Guardiola agitated whenever City went right instead of left. Milner somehow escaped a booking. Brighton couldn't cope on that side until Veltman entered.
And were then more threatening, with Kaoru Mitoma's influence growing. The Japan international sent warnings with various long, raking dribbles that took several defenders with him long before he manufactured substitute Ansu Fati's goal with 17 minutes left. Ortega had already flown out to deny Mitoma before the winger somehow headed into the side-netting from a corner. One of those moments when the entire away end went up in celebration, then disbelieving at the outcome.
City were hurrying clearances, Akanji booked for hauling down Fati as Brighton broke through midfield menacingly, yet didn't offer up too many other chances.
'We played shy,' De Zerbi said. 'I want personality. Lose the game, yes, but I want personality. In the second half we were better. We played with more energy and kept more order, especially without the ball.'
MANCHESTER CITY (4-1-4-1): Ortega 7; Walker 7, Stones 7 (Dias 74min), Akanji 5.5, Gvardiol 7; Rodri 7; Silva 7, Alvarez 7.5 (Ake 90), Foden 7.5, Doku 8 (Grealish 75); Haaland 7.5. Booked: Akanji, Rodri, Grealish. Sent off: Akanji (90min). Subs (not used): Ederson, Phillips, Kovacic, Gomez, Nunes, Lewis.
BRIGHTON (4-2-3-1): Steele 6.5; Milner 4.5 (Veltman 46, 6.5), Dunk 6.5, Julio 6, March 6 (Van Hecke 90); Baleba 5 (Gilmour 66, 6), Gross 6; Adingra 6.5, Welbeck 6 (Ferguson 16, 6.5), Mitoma 7.5; Pedro 6 (Fati 65, 7.5). Booked: Julio, March. Subs (not used): Verbuggen, Webster, Dahoud, Lallana.
Referee: R Jones (Merseyide) 5.
2 - HAALAND scored his 61st goal for Man City in all competitions but only his second from outside the box