Brighton & Hove Albion

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This was a seriously below-par performance from Brighton.

They had 13 shots on goal, but only one on target, and they looked extremely vulnerable at the back.

On another day, the margin of defeat could have been bigger.

There is a lot of noise around the club and the future of manager Roberto de Zerbi at the moment.

The Italian was slumped in his seat after the opening goal and cut a frustrated figure on the touchline throughout.

With qualifying for Europe now looking beyond the Seagulls, resolving De Zerbi's future and bringing in players that improve their squad now has to become a priority.

There are issues to solve - and they need solving quickly.

Brighton defender Adam Webster has been talking to Premier League Productions following the heavy defeat, firstly about Brighton conceding from another set piece: "It is every game. We prepare a lot for set pieces and to concede one like that, as easy as that, is frustrating. It gives you a mountain to climb. You are then always chasing the game."

On the team struggling to score goals: "We are struggling in front of goal at the moment. We are creating some half-decent chances but we are not creating clear-cut chances like we are used to.

"We can't seem to get that little bit of luck, or whatever it is, in front of goal. It is frustrating when you're not keeping clean sheets because it makes it difficult to get three points."

On their season overall: "The first half of the season we were in a strong position, but the past two or three months haven't gone our way.

"It has been a tough period. We have got to try and finish as strongly as we can."

Here are the key facts and figures following Sunday’s game between Bournemouth and Brighton in the Premier League.

• Brighton have won just one of their past 12 away matches in the Premier League (D4 L7), failing to win any of their past five (D2 L3). In 2024, only Luton Town (0), Nottingham Forest (0) and Everton (0) have won fewer matches on the road in the division than the Seagulls (1).

• Since Bournemouth's first home win of the season on 28 October 2023, only Manchester City (0) and Liverpool (1) have lost fewer Premier League home matches, with the Cherries unbeaten in each of their past six at the Vitality Stadium (W4 D2).

• Only Arsenal (16) and Everton (12) have scored more goals from corners than Bournemouth this season (11) in the Premier League. It is the most goals the Cherries have ever scored from corner situations in a single Premier League season.

• Justin Kluivert's goal for Bournemouth was his seventh in the Premier League, overtaking his father Patrick Kluviert's tally of six goals in the competition.

• Brighton have now failed to score in five consecutive Premier League first-halves, which is the Seagulls' longest run without a goal in the opening 45 minutes of a league match since April 2022 (a run of seven).

Enes Unal scored on his first Premier League start for Bournemouth as the Cherries beat below-par Brighton to reach their highest top-flight points total.

Marcos Senesi's 13th-minute header gave Andoni Iraola's side the lead, nodding in from three yards after the visitors failed to clear a corner.

Turkey striker Unal dragged wide in the first half, but scored his second goal since joining on loan from Getafe in January when he cleverly headed Dango Ouattara's cross into the far corner after the break.

The impressive Justin Kluivert sealed the win when he drove at the Brighton defence late on and drilled home a left-footed strike for his third goal in three home games.

Brighton were lacklustre throughout and failed to create many meaningful chances - coming closest when Simon Adingra's effort was tipped over the bar by Mark Travers.

The victory moves Bournemouth to 48 points - two more points than their previous best top-flight haul in 2016-17.

Brighton remain 12th and have now won just six of their past 28 league games. Their season is in danger of petering out in a campaign that has bucked the trend of their recent impressive progress.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Bournemouth fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Brighton fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

Three matches make up Sunday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

Follow live text updates here

Listen to all three games on BBC Sounds:

• Bournemouth v Brighton - from 14:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Tottenham v Arsenal - from 14:00 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Nottingham Forest v Manchester City - from 16:30 BST on BBC Radio 5 Live

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on Andy Bell and Steve Queralt from Ride, who support Arsenal and Tottenham.

Sutton's prediction: 4-3

Brighton's season has fizzled out and it cannot have helped that there is uncertainty over their manager Roberto de Zerbi, who has been linked with so many other clubs.

The Seagulls still had some nice passages of play against Manchester City on Thursday night but it was nowhere near enough - City schooled them from start to finish.

Bournemouth are above them in the table now, something which seemed unlikely earlier in the campaign. When Brighton beat the Cherries at Amex Stadium at the end of September, it sent them third while Andoni Iraola's side were still waiting for their first win.

The way Iraola has turned things around has surprised everyone, myself included, and I am certainly not going to back against them here. I am predicting a south-coast cracker, and a Bournemouth victory.

Andy's prediction: 0-0

No goals here!

Steve's prediction: 2-1

Again, neither team really have much to play for anymore, so I am going to go for it to be a nice sunny afternoon by the sea and Bournemouth to win.

Read the rest of their predictions here

Here is a selection of the key facts and figures before Bournemouth host Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday, 14:00 BST.

• Brighton won this fixture 2-0 last season, ending a run of four straight away league defeats against Bournemouth. They last won consecutive league visits to the Cherries in February 1932.

• Bournemouth are unbeaten in their past five Premier League home games – only once have they had a longer run without defeat at Vitality Stadium in the top flight, going six games between May and October 2018.

• Brighton have failed to score in six of their 12 away games in all competitions so far in 2024, as many times as they had in 49 games on the road in 2022 and 2023 combined.

• Dominic Solanke has scored nine home goals in the league this season – no Bournemouth player has ever reached double figures at the Vitality Stadium in a single top-flight campaign.

• No Brighton player has scored more away goals in the league this season than Danny Welbeck (four). Only in 2013-14 (six) has he scored more on the road in a single campaign.

Brighton made a habit of making life difficult for the big clubs during a stellar campaign last season that led them into the Europa League.

The Seagulls, under manager Roberto de Zerbi, have had another comfortable campaign but perhaps it is a sign of the sky-high standards they have set for themselves that the 4-0 home loss to Manchester City added to the sense of anti-climax at the end of this term.

There have been mitigating circumstances, namely the sale of class midfield duo Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister to Chelsea and Liverpool respectively, allied to a lengthy injury list.

It means there must be context around their current position and the factors that have had an impact upon it.

There has also been speculation surrounding De Zerbi, who has had his name linked to vacancies at Bayern Munich and Liverpool, who will appoint Feyenoord's Arne Slot, and a potential move to Manchester United, where manager Erik ten Hag is under scrutiny.

Brighton will hope this situation is clarified swiftly rather than have a summer of uncertainty before this progressive club regroups once more because their injury-hit team looked jaded against City and even the normally very animated De Zerbi was a low-key presence on the sidelines.

We asked for your views on Manchester City's 4-0 win over Brighton in the Premier League on Thursday.

Here are some of your answers:

Brighton fans

Charlie: Brighton were OK at the start of the season, but I get the feeling De Zerbi has given up. He cannot take Brighton any further and that is felt in the players, and him never picking the same team twice. Yet another goal given away trying to play out. Totally outclassed.

Raymond: Still punching above our weight due to injuries, but many players are not Premier League quality. Man City are a cut above.

JJ: The end of the season can not come soon enough. It is painful to watch our slow passing in our own box versus a team of City’s quality. If De Zerbi wants to stay we should back him, if not we need to move on very quickly and plan for next season.

Matthew: Brighton are in relegation form and no signs point to that changing come next season (bar a miraculous recruitment drive). With the loss of more key players to bigger clubs like Mitoma, possibly Joao Pedro, Estupinan and Gross, then one wonders how thin Brighton’s squad will be next year.

Graham: Pathetic! Their insistence on playing back to the keeper was sheer insanity! Put themselves under unnecessary pressure and led to their downfall. The goalkeeper had more touches in the first 15 minutes than the rest of the team. If teams are going to make it this easy for City, you may as well hand over the trophy now!

Manchester City fans

Peter: Great performance by the whole City team. The result was never in doubt after De Bruyne’s brilliant header. This team set about the task with determination and they are now serious contenders to win four titles in a row. Brighton are a selling club so will always be a mid-table team and they offered very little.

Scott: A really good performance against a lacklustre Brighton. I have to say, we did get away with two penalties, and the Foden free-kick was a slip - not a foul. I would not be surprised if Foden wins the PFA Players' Award this year. On to the next game, keep playing well and our fate is in our own hands.

Michael: Comprehensive. I was there and at no point were Brighton a threat. City dominated and always had the game under control. The crowd did not like Foden but both he and De Bruyne pulled the strings.

Bundesliga club Stuttgart are ready to make 27-year-old Germany forward Deniz Undav's move permanent, after signing him on loan from Brighton last summer. (Caught Offside), external

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi speaking to Sky Sports: "City are one of the best teams in the world and they played very well.

"Sorry for the first two goals. The first two goals were unlucky."

Can playing out from the back be a risk? "Yes, sometimes we took the advantage [with playing this way]. For sure if you make mistakes you can concede goals.

"You have to analyse how many goals we score and points we made playing the ball, then the advantages [outweigh] what we concede."

• Manchester City are now unbeaten in 30 games in all competitions (W24 D6), making them the third English top-flight side to go 30+ matches without defeat, after Nottingham Forest (40 in 1978) and Manchester United (twice - 34 in 1993-94 & 33 in 1998-99).

• Phil Foden scored his 50th (and 51st) Premier League goal, becoming only the third player to score 50 top-flight goals under manager Pep Guardiola while aged 23 or younger - after Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

• Brighton have won just six of their last 27 Premier League games (D11 L10) – since the start of this spell in September - only Burnley (5), Nottingham Forest (5), and Sheffield United (3) have won fewer.

• Brighton have lost back-to-back Premier League home games, as many as their previous 22 at the Amex Stadium beforehand (W12 D8 L2). The Seagulls have lost successive league home games while also failing to score each time for the first time since a run of four from February-March 2022.

• Kevin De Bruyne's opener for Manchester City was his 68th goal in 255 Premier League appearances – but the very first time he scored a header in the competition.

• In his 390th Premier League appearance, Manchester City’s Kyle Walker provided two assists in the same game for the first time in the competition.

Manchester City moved to within one point of Premier League leaders Arsenal by thrashing Brighton 4-0 at Amex Stadium.

The visitors took the lead through Kevin de Bruyne's excellent diving header in the 17th minute.

Phil Foden scored a second from a free-kick before doubling his tally, capitalising on defensive errors to give City a 3-0 half-time lead.

Julian Alvarez completed City's scoring midway through the second half after fine work from full-back Kyle Walker.

The result means City leapfrog Liverpool to go second in the league table, having played one game fewer than the Reds and leaders Arsenal.

Were you at the match or did you follow it from elsewhere?

Brighton fans - let us know your thoughts on the game here

How did you rate the side's performance, Manchester City fans?

Follow all of the reaction here

The team news for the Premier League game between Brighton and Manchester City is in, with less than an hour to go until kick-off at Amex Stadium.

Follow all the build-up and live text updates of the match here

Image source, Getty Images

Former Brighton midfielder Gary Dicker has been praising Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi and "the energy he brings" to the club.

Speaking about De Zerbi on BBC Radio Sussex's Albion Unlimited podcast, Dicker, who is currently working for the club as a professional development coach with the Seagulls' under-21s side said: "You wouldn't be the brightest if you didn't take some stuff from people and we've learned loads. I'm greedy because you want more and more.

"You want to learn more and see how he can keep developing the team and the players and the style of play. The detail that he's come with and his ideas are better than any coaching course I've been on.

"I've learned that being on the grass and watching means I've tried to take in as much as I can. When we get a chance, can we watch training> You'll always see us out there when we're not training to watch and learn."

Youngster Mark O'Mahony made his debut for Albion in the 1-1 draw with Burnley and Dicker described it as a "massive win for us as an academy and for Mark".

"I remember when he came in on trial last year," Dicker continued. "He was really raw and after day one we had a look at him and thought 'oh yeah we like that.'

"He was rough around the edges which he still is, but with his attitude and him being a finisher, we could see glimpses of stuff that we wanted to work with.

"We always go back to it - the attitude and wanting to get better every day.

"He's desperate to get better and desperate to learn. When you're coachable and have the attitude like that, it makes our life really easy."

Listen to the whole episode here

Brighton head coach Roberto de Zerbi has been speaking to the media before his side face Manchester City in the Premier League on Thursday.

Here are the main headlines from his news conference:

• "The situation is more or less the same as last game," De Zerbi explained in terms of injuries. Adam Webster may be available again - but nine players are out with Pervis Estupinan and Evan Ferguson missing for the rest of the season.

• On City being tired: "I think no, they played Saturday against Chelsea and tomorrow is Thursday. They are used to playing so many games. They were unlucky against Real Madrid because they lost on penalties. But they are with Arsenal and Liverpool one of the best teams in the Premier League."

• Erling Haaland is out of the game and he said: "Great news, because Haaland is a top player. Unfortunately they will play with [Julian] Alvarez - still a big player, Bernardo [Silva] a big player. [Jeremy] Doku and [Jack] Grealish, big wingers."

• On Brighton's season: "It has been very tough especially after January. We are suffering too many injuries. It's not finished yet - I'm sorry because I'm disappointed because I wanted to compete in different ways, but we have to accept. Next season we will be with more experience."

• On if they can qualify for Europe: "It's difficult because we play against big teams in the Premier League. We have a lot of teams with eyes on the top of the table. We have to play better for sure, we have to be stronger in the last 20 metres and to give our best more. We can't do more than that."

• On the Amex at night: "I love playing in the night because there is a different atmosphere. I think our fans have been fantastic every game at the Amex and away. If we start the game with good attitude and right behaviour the fans can understand and support more."

• He had lots of praise for Pep Guardiola: "He's patient, he's great, he loves football but if you speak about tactical parts he's a different coach and different man. There are a lot of coaches and there is Pep - different things."

• De Zerbi referenced to how Thiago Motta and Xabi Alonso are innovating in the game but pointed back to Guardiola, stating: "The first one who changed football was Guardiola, in Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City. Every season he makes something different."

• Both times Manchester City have failed to beat Brighton in the Premier League have come in a midweek game at Amex Stadium – they lost 3-2 in May 2021 and drew 1-1 in May 2023, though had already been confirmed as champions both times.

• Since beating Sheffield United 5-0 in February, Brighton have scored just four goals in their past seven Premier League games. The Seagulls are also winless in their past four (D2 L2).

• City are unbeaten in their past 17 Premier League games (W13 D4), last having a longer run within the same season between November and March in 2020-21 (19).

• Brighton’s 3-0 defeat by Arsenal in their most recent Premier League home game ended a 12-match unbeaten run at the Amex in the competition. They last lost consecutive home league games in November/December 2022 (including defeat to Arsenal), while they last lost consecutive home league games in the same month in March 2022.

• City's Phil Foden has scored more Premier League goals against Albion than he has against any other side, netting six in his past seven. His next goal will be his 50th in the Premier League.