- Albion are beaten 3-2 by leaders Manchester City
- Lorent Tolaj and Sam Packham score for the Seagulls
- Fynn Talley saves a first-half penalty
- The Seagulls are next in action away at Leicester City
Albion struggled to find their feet in the opening period and City capitalised on a relatively slow start by Mark Beard’s side and won a penalty in the 14th minute.
City’s Sam Edozie was brought down by Ayo Tanimowo and the referee pointed to the spot. Captain Cole Palmer took the penalty but Talley saved it to keep the game goalless.
Palmer redeemed himself three minutes later when a rare defensive mistake from Packham allowed City's captain through on goal and he shot past Talley to give his side a 17th-minute lead.
Albion finally began to play with more confidence but City led at the break and stretched their lead in the 49th minute - from another penalty. Edozie was brought down by Antef Tsoungui and the referee pointed to the spot after consulting his assistant. Palmer beat Talley this time with a shot into the roof of the net.
Albion pulled one back just after the hour mark when Leahy, who replaced James Furlong three minutes earlier, skipped past a defender before setting up a simple finish for Swiss striker Tolaj.
The Swiss forward missed a glaring opportunity ten minutes later when his header from a few yards out narrowly went over the bar and Albion were to pay for that miss when Alex Robertson made it 3-1 in the 74th minute with a clinical finish.
With the game in its dying minutes, Packham scored a second for Albion with a cracking long-distance effort but the leaders held on for victory.
ALBION: Talley, Tanimowo, Furlong (sub: Leahy 57’), Cocoracchio, Clark-Eden, Packham, Leonard, Tsoungui, Tolaj (Miller 77’), Wilson, Vukoje (Everitt 45’)
SUBS NOT USED: Rees (GK), Turns.