Goal: Watch the moment Erling Halaand dribbled THREE Brighton defenders and scored a very powerful goal – Man City 2:0 Brighton
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Man City vs Brighton LIVE – Goal and score updates as Erling Haaland gives Blues the lead from spot
Manchester City are looking to return to winning ways when they welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to the Etihad Stadium tonight
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BY ALEX JAMES, ALEX JAMES, SIMON BAJKOWSKI
UPDATED20:44, 7 JAN 2026
Manchester City look to return to winning ways tonight when they take on Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League
Manchester City look to return to winning ways tonight when they take on Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League(Image: Getty Images)
Manchester City are looking for what could be a huge win tonight when they host Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.
City take on the Seagulls 24 hours before leaders Arsenal welcome Liverpool to the Emirates Stadium. While Arne Slot’s men are not in the best form this season, they stand a chance of taking points off the Gunners and the Blues need to ensure they capitalise in midweek.
Currently, Pep Guardiola’s side sit six points behind Arsenal and are in the midst of an injury crisis. Ruben Dias will be out for potentially six weeks with a hamstring injury, while Josko Gvardiol has been ruled out for a long time with a broken shinbone.
John Stones is also no closer to a comeback, leading to gaps in the defence ahead of this game. City will be able to call upon Nathan Ake and Nico Gonzalez in a boost for Guardiola.
While the defence is looking weaker than usual, City’s attack remains strong with Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland in position to start.
Follow all the updates from the Etihad Stadium below.
KEY EVENTS
Half time ratings
20:19
GOAL HAALAND
20:11
Pep on starting Max Alleyne
18:49
City squad for tonight
18:06
New podcast
16:48
20:44SIMON BAJKOWSKI
53′ CITY 1 BRI 0 – City in control but may rue big miss
Bernardo Silva had to be scoring that chance early on in the second half. City are still in control of this game as it stands but they found on Sunday how one chance can wipe out a lead. They will do well to create another chance as good as the one Silva had, but you feel they have to in order to make this game safe.
20:39ALEX JAMES
49′ CITY 1 BRI 0 – Blues on top
City have started this half on the front foot. They are hassling Brighton and dominating the ball.
Brighton are penned in and not able to get out. A second here would give the home side some vital breathing space
20:37ALEX JAMES
47′ CITY 1 BRI 0 – Huge chance
Oh Bernardo that should be two. Brighton try and play out, get it horribly wrong and Bernardo has to score but he hits the outside of the post
20:36SIMON BAJKOWSKI
46′ CITY 1 BRI 0 – Rodri imminent?
Rodri has just been going through a vigorous warm-up on the pitch at half-time. That could have been just to keep him from harassing the Brighton bench again, but he is now on the touchline warming up so it looks like we will see him again before too long.
20:35ALEX JAMES
Kick off
Away we go in the second half. Will be a huge result if City can see this out and claim the win
20:25SIMON BAJKOWSKI
Half-time analysis
City will be very happy to be in front after a scrappy half. Jeremy Doku was their standout attacker – no surprise given he is the freshest – but there is bad blood from all involved after some heated confrontations on the pitch and in the dugouts. No doubt Guardiola will say he was discussing tactics with his Brighton counterpart but he was chipping away at him for the whole time Haaland took the penalty.
20:19KEY EVENT
Half time ratings
That’s the whistle. City ahead and here’s the half-time ratings.
Donnarumma 7
Nunes 7
Khusanov 6
Alleyne 7
Ake 6
Gonzalez 7
Silva 7
Reijnders 6
Foden 6
Doku 7
Haaland 6
20:12ALEX JAMES
41′ CITY 1 BRI 0 – Super penalty
That’s Haaland’s 150th City goal and he lets out a huge roar in celebration.
20:11KEY EVENT
GOAL HAALAND
He makes no mistake from the spot
20:11ALEX JAMES
40′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Angry scenes
Both managers have been unhappy with the performance of the ref and Guardiola lost his mind at that penalty initially not being given. He then ends up pulling Rodri away from the Brighton bench, while Bernardo Silva has been getting involved with Van Hecke on the penalty spot. It is all kicking off here.
20:10ALEX JAMES
39′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Penalty given
The ref is sent to the screen and that means penalty.
Decision is changed and the spot kick is awarded.
20:09ALEX JAMES
38′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Penalty appeal
Doku goes down and that looks like a penalty. The ball falls to Reijnders who slices it horribly off target. Referee is not for awarding it but VAR having a look
20:03SIMON BAJKOWSKI
33′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Scrappy stuff
It’s scrappy on the pitch and it’s scrappy off it. Pep Guardiola has just dragged the fourth official out of the Brighton technical area and into the middle so that he can have a moan, before giving Hurzeler a death stare for carrying on his conversation. City fans, meanwhile, are signing about Ruben Amorim.
19:58ALEX JAMES
28′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Great recovery
Brighton get in behind the high line again. Khusanov steps up a fractio too late but recovers really well to track back and make a super sliding tackle on Rutter
City living dangerously with the high line at the moment
19:55SIMON BAJKOWSKI
25′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Low on quality
There are heavy touches all over the place in the City team, but Brighton are hardly error-free either and seem determined to try and give City the opening goal. It’s not a game of high quality and is there for the taking for anyone who can hold their nerve and show some quality.
19:53ALEX JAMES
22′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Plenty of possession
City have had 43 successful passes in the final third of Brighton but they’ve not fashioned a clear chance. Doku got in after an error from the visitors but the angle was against him and his cross shot travelled across the face of goal
19:50SIMON BAJKOWSKI
19′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Haaland quiet
Bernardo Silva managed two trivelas through to Matheus Nunes in the opening 10 minutes and he has now had City’s first meaningful effort at goal. It didn’t go close to beating Verbruggen but still more attacking intent than City normally get out of their midfield workhorse. Foden is struggling to keep the ball when he gets it, as is Reijnders, which isn’t really helping Haaland.
19:45ALEX JAMES
14′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Half chance
City win another corner and it causes a bit of chaos in the Brighton box before falling to Bernardo who tries his luck from the edge of the box but it is easy for Verbruggen
19:43ALEX JAMES
12′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Blues settling
After a bit of a frantic opening, City have settled into this one and are starting to enjoy some possession. Foden is trying to find pockets in central areas while Doku has had a couple of runs down the left
19:39ALEX JAMES
8′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – City living dangerously
Donnarumma makes another save, it was a routine one, but Kadioglu should be doing a lot better. He’s sent clear down the right but his shot is tame and straight at the keeper
19:37ALEX JAMES
6′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – First threat from City
Nunes darts forwards and Bernardo Silva finds him with a lovely ball but the cross into the box is cut out.
City win a corner but that comes to nothing, first signs of the Blues as an attacking force
19:35SIMON BAJKOWSKI
4′ CITY 0 BRI 0 – Haaland vs Van Hecke
It’s taken two minutes for the beef between Haaland and van Hecke to resume. That has been stewing across multiple seasons so has had plenty of time to mature but still looks to have plenty of bite. I’ll stop with the rubbish food jokes now.
19:33ALEX JAMES
2 CITY 0 BRI 0 – Donnarumma to the fore
Donnarumma giving everyone an early scare there by being either very relaxed or misjudging a ball back to him which trickles goalwards but he recovers to clear away.
The keeper is then called into action again to make a save from a Gross header.
19:30ALEX JAMES
Kick off
Away we go then. Big test for City tonight.
19:28SIMON BAJKOWSKI
Cherki the entertainer
Rayan Cherki is on the bench tonight so doesn’t have to go through the warmups that the starting XI are going through. He knocked a ball over to the side of the pitch and then started knocking it back and forth with a ballboy before then taking it back to his teammates. Ever the entertainer.
19:27ALEX JAMES
Pep’s verdict on United sacking Amorim
City boss Pep Guardiola feels that sacked Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim was not far away from constructing a team capable of challenging at the top of the Premier League. Guardiola faced the media on Tuesday ahead of City’s Premier League game with Brighton on Wednesday and was asked about United’s decision to axe Amorim.
The Reds are sixth in the table but the Portuguese hit out at the club hierarchy recently and gave an extraordinary press conference following the weekend draw with Leeds which ultimately proved his final act as United boss.
Guardiola, who is approaching 10 years in charge at City, believes managers are getting less and less time to make an impact, with Amorim departing Old Trafford after 14 months in charge. And the Etihad chief pointed to three home games that hampered Amorim, with dropped points at Old Trafford the difference between sitting sixth or challenging the current top three of Arsenal, City and Aston Villa.
Read more here
(Image: Carl Recine, Getty Images)
19:17ALEX JAMES
Rise of Alleyne
Max Alleyne started the New Year playing for Watford against Birmingham. On Sunday he was due to feature for the Hornets at Hull in the Championship before the game was called off due to the weather. By Monday he was heading back to Manchester City having been recalled by the Blues amid a defensive injury crisis. On Tuesday he trained with Pep Guardiola’s squad and on Wednesday he was thrust into the Premier League starting XI against Brighton. Talk about whirlwind weeks.
Read more on the young defender’s rise here
19:12SIMON BAJKOWSKI
An opportunity to rest
It has seemed like City have been juddering to a halt but the end is in sight at least with the fact that there is six days between this game and the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final in Newcastle. Between then, City face Exeter at home in the FA Cup but Guardiola can play a team full of youngsters against the League One side and what will be will be. Get through tonight and loads of the first team players that badly need a rest can get one.
19:07SIMON BAJKOWSKI
Whirlwind week for Max
If you want an idea of the whirlwind week for Max Alleyne, anyone fancying a punt in the Fantasy Premier League game played by millions can’t actually get Alleyne yet because he isn’t in the game. And anyone buying a programme for tonight’s game won’t find Alleyne or his shirt number in there either.
19:01ALEX JAMES
Centre back options
Pep Guardiola said City may have to get ‘creative’ with their defence for the next two months as he ruled out two January moves and cast doubt on the long-term future of John Stones. The City centre-back has not played for the team for over a month and, with just six months remaining on his contract, Guardiola said he had no idea when the England man will be ready to feature again.
That has added to a crisis at the back for the Blues, who lost Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias to long-term injuries in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea. Gvardiol may not play again this season after breaking his leg, while Dias has been ruled out for four to six weeks with a hamstring problem.
Read more here
18:49KEY EVENT
Pep on starting Max Alleyne
We have a lot of absences in central defenders. Nico O’Reilly in the last week has a lot of problems with fatigue and niggles. That’s why we bring him [Alleyne] back. We know him from one or two seasons. He’s ready
18:45SIMON BAJKOWSKI
Haaland hope
It’s a big night for Haaland. He’s been frustrated lately without much service but has gone three games without a goal – his longest ‘drought’ of the season – and if City need a moment of magic from somebody to get them over the line Haaland is more of a shout than anybody else given the way he can produce goals from nothing.
(Image: Getty Images)
18:31SIMON BAJKOWSKI
Cherki drops out
Cherki has really come to the fore in recent weeks for City but the absence of Doku has shifted Foden out to a wider position and made it more difficult for him to influence the game. He should be more central tonight and that should mean he is able to have more of an impact. Having said that, he is another who has looked very tired after playing more than everyone but O’Reilly in the last 10 games.
18:23SIMON BAJKOWSKI
Alleyne starts!
Wow, wow, wow. Nobody saw that Max Alleyne start coming. What is it with Brighton and young City defenders? Jahmai Simpson-Pusey made just his second start for the club at the Amex last season and now Alleyne makes his City debut – two days after being recalled from his loan at Watford. What a story for the 20-year-old, who is thrown straight into it with Khusanov on one side and Ake on the other.
Max Alleyne of Manchester City(Image: 2024 James Gill – Danehouse)
18:15ALEX JAMES
Team news confirmed
CITY: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Alleyne, Ake, Gonzalez, Silva, Foden, Reijnders, Doku, Haaland
18:06KEY EVENT
City squad for tonight
Rodri, Silva, Lewis, Ake, Alleyne, Donnarumma, Nunes, Reijnders, Gonzalez, O’Reilly, Foden, Bettinelli, R.Heskey, Khusanov, Mukasa, Mfuni, McAidoo, Trafford, Haaland, Cherki, Doku
17:55ALEX JAMES
Gonzalez boost but eight out
Nico Gonzalez has provided Manchester City with a welcome boost but the injury-ravaged Blues are down to 13 senior outfield players for Wednesday night’s Premier League clash with Brighton. Midfielder Gonzalez was forced off at half time during the 0-0 draw with Sunderland on New Year’s Day and missed the weekend draw with Chelsea.
He has recovered and is available for the visit of the Seagulls. That is a significant boost for City who saw Rodri complete 90 minutes against Chelsea as he continues his recovery from injury.
Here’s the latest on the injury situation.
17:48SIMON BAJKOWSKI
A tired team
City’s injuries are a problem for Guardiola but so are the ones that are still standing. Nico O’Reilly has started all 10 of the last 10 games and his performances have dipped in the last few games, Phil Foden is in basically the same boat and three other players have started nine of the last ten. If it looked like tired minds and bodies against Chelsea, it is because it was. However, they have no choice but to go again tonight with so many injuries – unless Guardiola throws a surprise out there from the academy.
Manchester City full-back Nico O’Reilly(Image: Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
17:27SIMON BAJKOWSKI
Punchy Pep
Pep Guardiola is punchy in his programme notes, saying that the spirit in the squad is there and so he can ‘guarantee’ that they will be there fighting for titles. Their chase of Arsenal in the Premier League could do with nothing less than a victory tonight against Brighton after four points dropped from the last two games has seen them stutter while Arsenal have strode ahead. City have reason to be gloomy with plenty of injury and fitness issues, but a title race is no place for sympathy – City simply have to do whatever it takes against a team that beat them in the reverse fixture back in August.
17:12ALEX JAMES
Rotation, rotation, rotation
Pep Guardiola suggested he used Ruben Dias more than he wanted to this season to make up for Rodri’s absence as he said his remaining players had no option but to pick themselves up and go again. Manchester City have just 13 senior outfield players for the Brighton game on Wednesday after Dias and centre-back partner Josko Gvardiol both picked up significant injuries in the 1-1 draw with Chelsea.
The pair had started eight of the last 10 games together and were established as the first-choice centre-back pairing. With John Stones injured, Nathan Ake and Abdukodir Khusanov have both largely been kept on the bench; they will now have to start a lot more often, with 20-year-old Max Alleyne recalled from a loan spell at Watford to help out.
Erling Haaland is the only player to feature more than Dias this season, and the defender will now be out for four to six weeks with a hamstring injury. Guardiola indicated that he needed Dias to play even when he could have rested as the team required leaders in the absence of Rodri in the middle to control everything.
Read more here
17:02ALEX JAMES
Transfer point
City using their unlimited budget again. Pep Guardiola runs into the slightest bit of trouble as a manager and the chequebook boss has to go and spend his way out of it – and that’s why he will never be considered truly great.
Maybe it’s just the horrific new normal on X but there has been far too much of this cringeworthy stuff knocking about social media since Josko Gvardiol broke his leg and City considered moving forward their interest in Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi. It’s incredibly tempting to ignore it all, but when so much fake news is blasted at your eyeballs it does feel necessary to try and find your way back to reality.
City have, obviously, spent lots and lots of money under Guardiola. Over the last five seasons they’ve spent about £1.2billion on new players – about £100m more than Arsenal have in the same period; they’ve also brought in close to £1bn in sales, which is about £600m more than Arsenal.
Read Simon Bajkowski’s opinion here
(Image: Getty Images)
16:48KEY EVENT
New podcast
Fancy some pre match City chat? Why not take in the latest Talking City podcast. Plenty to discuss from injuries to transfers to the title race.
Are City now in ‘get through January’ mode? Simon Bajkowski and Alex James talk through the current state of play at the Etihad.
You can watch the epidose here or download and subscribe from your usual podcast providers.
16:29ALEX JAMES
Predicted XI
City host Brighton battling an injury crisis and an increasing gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal. The Blues were denied a win on Sunday by a last-minute Chelsea equaliser and two draws in their last two games have seen the gap at the top to the Gunners extend to six points.
Arsenal welcome Liverpool on Thursday night so City have the chance to close the gap when the Seagulls visit the Etihad tonight. But they will be without several key players as Pep Guardiola manages a host of injuries.
Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol both suffered injuries in the draw with Chelsea and face time on the sidelines with the latter potentially out for the rest of the season. With John Stones also out, City are set to pair Nathan Ake and Abdukodir Khusanov together in the heart of defence.
Here’s how City could line up tonight
16:00JACK FLINTHAM
Hello!
Good afternoon and welcome to the City matchday blog as the Blues prepare to take on Brighton at the Etihad Stadium. Sunday’s disappointing draw to Chelsea in the final moments has seen Guardiola’s men drop further behind Arsenal in the Premier League title race. To add to the frustration, City are in the midst of an injury crisis with the defence down to its bare bones ahead of this one. However, Guardiola put out a resolute message in his pre-match press conference and that shall give the Blues confidence.
A win tonight would be ideal for City considering Arsenal do not
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