Published: 22:30, 25 October 2025 | Updated: 22:30, 25 October 2025

Manchester City's four captains spent 10 days stewing over a second defeat of the campaign and a surrender of points at Brighton that had resembled plenty of miserable afternoons last season.

Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias went to Armenia on international duty. Erling Haaland took his frustration out on poor Moldova, plundering five goals over in Oslo. Rodri earned a couple of substitute appearances for Spain.

The four of them were all over Europe but the performance down at Brighton lingered in their minds. Giving up a lead, losing 2-1 in the final minutes, had an eerily familiar feel. A carbon copy of what unfolded down there last year and the quartet decided to gather together on arriving back as a matter of urgency.

Manchester United were on the horizon in what was termed a must-not-lose derby. Silva and his three lieutenants held a leadership meeting to discuss form and standards after losing against Tottenham and then on the south coast erased the opening-day positivity at Wolves.

It was a decisive call to...