{"id":5522,"date":"2026-01-16T08:15:34","date_gmt":"2026-01-16T08:15:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/?p=5522"},"modified":"2026-01-16T08:16:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-16T08:16:11","slug":"jack-kayes-abion-gazette-xxiv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/?p=5522","title":{"rendered":"Jack Kaye's Abion Gazette XXIV"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

7 \u00a0 JANUARY \u00a0 2026 \u00a0
M ANCHESTER \u00a0 CITY \u00a0 1 \u00a0 BRIGHTON \u00a0 & \u00a0 HOVE \u00a0 ALBION \u00a0 1 <\/strong>
PREMIER \u00a0 LEAGUE \u00a0 - \u00a0
at \u00a0 the \u00a0 ETIHAD \u00a0STADIUM, \u00a0 MANCHESTER<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For their first away game of 2026 the Albion travelled North to take on Manchester City in\u00a0the Premier at the Etihad Stadium, the match being broadcast by Sky Sports, Talksport and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following a winless run of six games in the Premier, the Albion beat Burnley 2-0 at the Amex on the 3 January and for the trip to the Etihad the Albion made three changes to their starting line-up from the Burnley game, with Jack Hinshelwood, Maxim De Cuyper and Pascal Gross replacing Joel Veltman, Brajan Gruda and Charalampos Kostoulas (injured). \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was Pascal Gross's first start for the Seagulls on his second coming. Last time out City had drawn 1-1 at home to Chelsea in the Premier on the 4 January and\u00a0for Albion's visit Manager Pep Guardiola made five changes to his starting line-up from the Chelsea game, with Abdukodir Khusanov, Max Alleyne (on his debut), Nathan Ake, Nico Gonzalez, and Jeremy Doku replacing Ruben Dias (injured), Josko Gvardiol (injured),\u00a0Nico O'Reilly, Rodri and Rayan Cherki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last season the Albion were unbeaten against City in the Premier, winning 2-1 at the Amex on the 9 November 2024, with the goals coming from Joao Pedro (78m) and Matt O'Riley (83m), whilst City's goal was scored by Erling Haaland (23m). \u00a0In the reverse fixture at the Etihad on the 15 March 2025 the teams drew 2-2, with Albion's goals being scored by Pervis Estupinan (21m) and Abdukodir Khusanov own goal (48m). \u00a0City's goals were scored by Erling Haaland penalty (11m) and Omar Marmoush (39m). \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this season on the 31 August 2025 at the Amex it was 2-1 to the Albion, with their goals coming from James Milner penalty (67m) and Brajan Gruda (89m), whilst City's goal came from Erling Haaland (34m). It was all Albion from the start and with only two minutes on the clock a cross from Diego Gomez was met by a Pascal Gross header from close-in but City keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma produced a superb double save to keep out the goal-bound header and follow-up shot. \u00a0Minutes later Lewis Dunk and Georginio Rutter combined to send Ferdi Kadioglu\u00a0clear but Donnarumma left his line to make another superb save to clear the shot. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the half-hour a Gomez through pass sent Rutter clear on goal but an excellent defensive tackle by Abdukodir Khusanov averted the danger. \u00a0At this stage Albion could have been 3-0 up and out of sight. \u00a0The inevitable happened on 42 minutes when after a VAR check Gomez\u00a0was adjudged to have fouled Jeremy Doku in the box and Erling Haaland converted the resultant penalty-kick. \u00a00-1.<\/strong> \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just before the break Tijjani Reijnders shot was cleared off\u00a0 his own goal-line by Dunk. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Half-time 0-1.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First action of the second-half saw Yasin Ayari gift the ball to Bernardo Silva in the box\u00a0but fortunately for Ayari and Albion, the City midfielder fired his shot wide. \u00a0On the hour the Albion were level when Ayari sent Kaoru Mitoma clear on the left and the Japan international left two defenders in his wake before firing a low shot into the City net for the equaliser. \u00a01-1<\/strong>. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The momentum was now with the Seagulls as Gomez missed a\u00a0sitter and Mitoma saw his shot strike the base of the City post. \u00a0City still posed a threat as Kadioglu headed clear off his own goal-line and for the second time in the half Ayari\u00a0gifted the ball, this time to Haaland in the box but the Norwegian's shot was straight at Albion keeper Bart Verbruggen. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final-score 1-1.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Match stats: <\/strong>\u00a0
Albion had 6 attempts at goal, with 3 on target and won 2 corners, free-kicks conceded - 16. \u00a0
Manchester City had 21 attempts at goal, with 6 on target and\u00a0won 6 corners, free-kicks conceded - 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

VERDICT<\/strong> \u00a0- \u00a0 An excellent performance by the Albion which could have resulted in a win at the Etihad. \u00a0The Albion are now unbeaten in their last four games with City. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now for the second trip to Manchester in four days and a FA Cup clash with Manchester United!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):-<\/strong> \u00a0Bart VERBRUGGEN; \u00a0Jack HINSHELWOOD, Jan Paul\u00a0VAN HECKE, Lewis DUNK (Capt), Maxim DE CUYPER; \u00a0Yasin AYARI (James\u00a0MILNER 83), Pascal GROSS; \u00a0Ferdi KADIOGLU, Diego GOMEZ (Brajan GRUDA 77), Kaoru MITOMA (Tommy WATSON 83); \u00a0Georginio RUTTER (Danny WELBECK 77). \u00a0
Subs not used: \u00a0Jason STEELE (G\/K), Olivier BOSCAGLI, Diego COPPOLA, Harry HOWELL, Charlie TASKER.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manchester City line-up (4-1-4-1):<\/strong>- \u00a0Gianluigi DONNARUMMA; \u00a0Matheus NUNES (Rico LEWIS 73), Abdukodir HUSANOV, Max ALLEYNE, Nathan AKE (Nico\u00a0O'REILLY 73); \u00a0Nico GONZALEZ (RODRI 64); \u00a0Bernardo SILVA (Capt), Tijjani REIJNDERS, Phil FODEN (Rayan CHERKI 73), Jeremy DOKU; \u00a0Erling HAALAND.
Subs not used: \u00a0James TRAFFORD (G\/K), Reigan HESKEY, Ryan McALDOO,Stephen MFUNI, Divine MUKASA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Referee:<\/strong> \u00a0Thomas Bramall (Sheffield). \u00a0
Fourth Official<\/strong>: \u00a0Tony Harrington. \u00a0
VAR<\/strong> Official:<\/strong> \u00a0Alex Chilowicz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yellow Cards<\/strong>: \u00a0
Albion: \u00a06 \u00a0- \u00a0Jan Paul Van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, Maxim De Cuyper, Pascal Gross, Kaoru Mitoma, Tommy Watson. \u00a0
Manchester City: \u00a01 \u00a0- \u00a0Gianluigi Donnarumma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Possession: <\/strong>\u00a0Albion \u00a0- \u00a040%. \u00a0Manchester City \u00a0- \u00a060%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BBC Sport Player of the Match<\/strong>: \u00a0Jan Paul Van Hecke (Albion).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attendance:<\/strong> \u00a051728.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEXT \u00a0GAME:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

19 \u00a0JANUARY \u00a02026 \u00a0- \u00a0AFC \u00a0BOURNEMOUTH \u00a0- \u00a0HOME \u00a0- \u00a0PREMIER \u00a0LEAGUE \u00a0- KICK-OFF \u00a020.00. \u00a0\"LIVE\" \u00a0ON \u00a0SKY \u00a0SPORTS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

7 \u00a0 JANUARY \u00a0 2026 \u00a0 M ANCHESTER \u00a0 CITY \u00a0 1 \u00a0 BRIGHTON \u00a0 & \u00a0 HOVE \u00a0 ALBION \u00a0 1 PREMIER \u00a0 LEAGUE \u00a0 - \u00a0 at \u00a0 the \u00a0 ETIHAD \u00a0STADIUM, \u00a0 MANCHESTER. For their first away game of 2026 the Albion travelled North to take on Manchester City in\u00a0the Premier at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-jack-kayes-football-reports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5522"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5522\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5523,"href":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5522\/revisions\/5523"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shavuatov.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}