Rulli’s shootout heroics earn Manchester City Carabao Cup win against Brighton

After Jérémy Doku’s second-half substitute appearance transformed Manchester City into a high-octane proposition, the smart money was on the momentum continuing and the penalty shootout going their way.

So it proved as Enzo Maresca’s men triumphed 4-3, Gerónimo Rulli’s save from Lewis Dunk’s fifth spot-kick decisive, the Argentinean also having repelled Yasin Ayari’s fourth penalty.

While Jason Steele had kept out Mateo Kovacic’s penalty, City progressed after Brighton twice took the lead – via Malick Yalcouyé and Georginio Rutter before being pegged back by Kovacic and Vitor Reis.

This first of a City-Brighton double-header (part two is Saturday’s league fixture here) featured opponents coming off rare losses.