Goal:Southampton 0-2 Wolves (Onuachu 75′)
‘Pantomime stuff’
By Matt Barlow At Portman Road
We’ve just been enjoying a classic five minutes of pantomime featuring Nicolas Dominguez, upset not to be awarded a foul in a collision with Jens Cajuste, he rolled around and the complained, pointing to an ankle until shown a yellow card, then continued to complain and going down hurt and clearly offended by Ipswich fans were singing ‘there’s nothing wrong with you’.
Nuno put him out of his misery and subbed him. Dominguez jogged off applauding all four sides of the stadium as he went… still 0-3, Ipswich playing better though. Nuno has responded to Ipswich threat in second half by switching to a back three with Morato on for two-goal Elanga.
CLOSE! Everton 0-1 West Ham
Oh, it’s very nearkly two in two minutes for West ham.
Jarrod Bowen is lighting this game up, my word. The winger is ripping Everton apart here.
He beats a couple of defenders before bending a brilliant effort toward the bottom corner.
Jordan Pickford gets there but spills the ball, and James Ward-Prowse looks set to tap home.
But somehow, Everton manage to scramble the ball clear.
Goal:Everton 0-1 West Ham (Soucek 67′)
Something has certainly happened now!
Tomas Soucek may have scored this goal, but this goal is all about Jarrord Bowen.
He does brilliantly to keep the ball, drive forward, and then find Soucek inside the area.
He takes a touch and then bends the ball home brilliantly.
‘Managers need to make changes’
The corresponding fixture between these two teams also finished 0-0 at the London Stadium. Surely it’s time for both managers to look at the bench to try and conjure a goal here. Everton have Armando Broja and West Ham Evan Ferguson in reserve if they fancy a big fella up top.
‘Ipswich were given a rocket’
By Matt Barlow At Portman Road
Ipswich were back out early like a team who had been on the end of a rocket from the boss, and they have improved.
CHANCE! Ipswich 0-3 Nottingham Forest
Chris Wood’s goals seem to have dried up, haven’t they?
How he has not just added a fourth for Nottingham Forest, I really don’t know.
He just has to find the corner as he cocks his leg to have a crack, but his effort just dirbbles into the arms of Alex Palmer.
CHANCE! Man City 2-2 Brighton
Brighton are battering Manchester City here, they really are.
The hosts are getting ripped apart, and Yankuba Minteh comes within inches of giving the Seagulls the lead.
Diego Gomez slides a brilliant ball across the box that is begging to be smashed home, and Minteh really stretches for it.
But the forward just can’t get there and City survive.
BIG CHANCE! Ipswich 0-3 Nottingham Forest
How has Liam Delap not scored?
This just sums up Ipswich’s day, the fact that even Delap is struggling now.
Leif Delap swings a corner right onto Delap’s head, and you just expect the net to bulge.
But he somehow misses the target – I’m not sure how.
Goal:Man City 2-2 Brighton (Khusanov OG 48′)
Brighton are back level, just like that!
Abdukodir Khusanov has an absolute nightmare for the first time since his debut and puts the ball into his own net.
The ball drops to Jack Hinshelwood following a corner, he swivels and shoots, but it comes off Khusanov, and it goes in.
That was definitely heading wide if it wasn’t for the defender.
Goal:Southampton 0-2 Wolves (Strand Larsen 47′)
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear…
It’s the worst possible start to the second half for Southampton, and it’s just all too predictable.
It’s Jorgen Strand Larsen at the double as he arrows a low effort past Aaron Ramsdale.
Some fans are leaving already.
Seagulls causing City problems
Brighton will probably be a bit miffed that they are not at least level here.
Manchester City have had their moments, but I really think that the Seagulls have been the better side.
They have had eight shots at the Etihad so far, two more than City, and are cutting through the hosts like a bread knife through, well… bread.
City need to shore up defensively, or they will not win this game.
‘Ipswich looking good for relegation’
By Matt Barlow At Portman Road
Difficult to see anything beyond an away win from here which will leave Forest looking good for the Champions League and Ipswich looking good for relegation.
‘Dismal advert for the Premier League’
What a dismal advert for Premier League football. Two poor teams, so little quality. Southampton probably had the better of the play but fell asleep when it mattered. Wolves have done little else, though. It’s a good job the three promoted teams are making their lives so easy.
HALF-TIME: Man City 2-1 Brighton
Manchester City lead at the break.
What a half of footie that was. Manchester City took the lead, then were pegged back, but are in front as the whistle goes.
The second goal form Omar Marmoushb was spectacular, you have to go an watch it later.
I don’t think we have seen the last of the goals in this one.
HALF-TIME: Ipswich 0-3 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest at their brutal best.
Three goals in just six mental minutes for the visitors has this game one already.
Before that, not much had been happening but it eventually sprung into life, thank goodness.
It’s game over and there is still another half to play…
HALF-TIME: Everton 0-0 West Ham
Erm… there are boos at Goodison Park.
They are having a pop at the referee after they had a penalty overturned, but they have no right to be annoyed.
If they go an watch that video back, they will probably even have a little chuckle about it.
Anyway, we are all level on Merseyside.
HALF-TIME: Southampton 0-1 Wolves
Thank goodness that is over.
Wolves may be leading, but both sides have been terrible at St Mary’s. I nearly fell asleep at one point while watching that.
But at the end of the day, this is Southampton, and they are behind yet again.
I don’t think anybody believes that they will come back here, do they?
VAR: NO PENALTY! – Everton
What a weird few moments…
Everton are awarded a penalty, but it would have been a crime if that stood, it really would have.
Beto kicks the floor in the box and goes over and the referee points to the spot. It’s a terrible decision.
But VAR steps in, and after a quick check they can see what we all see, and it’s disallowed.
It’s quite funny to watch, I can’t lie.
‘Awful defending’
By Matt Barlow At Portman Road
Awful defending by Ipswich who fail to cope with a long ball straight down the middle and Elanga bursts past Greaves and beats Palmer with ease. That’s why you’re going down crow the Forest fans and it’s a fair point.
‘Get a striker on the pitch’
‘Get a striker on the pitch,’ chant the furious Southampton fans towards manager Ivan Juric. That might help, as would some defenders eager to head crosses away from incoming Wolves attackers.
Goal:Ipswich 0-3 Nottingham Forest (Elanga 41′)
It’s goals galore!
Nottingham Forest are running riot in East Anglia, and it’s Anthony Elanga again.
Just inside the area, England just arrows the ball low past Alex Palmer. What a finish.
This game has been taken away from Ipswich in a flash.
‘Forest in control’
By Matt Barlow At Portman Road
Two goals in two minutes, Forest in control and the away end singing about Europe. The first by Milenkovic was from a corner needlessly conceded and poorly defended by Ipswich. The second was a classic Forest break and a brilliantly clinical finish by Elanga.
Goal:Man City 2-1 Brighton (Marmoush 39′)
Oooooft, what a hit!
Omar Marmoush has a foot like a traction engine (I hope you get that), that is a stunner.
The Egyptian picks the ball up 25 yards out after Brighton lose it and just decides to have a crack, because why not?
It’s one hell of a crack, too, as he smashes the ball past Bart Verbuggen in net.
The keeper doesn’t even move – no chance.
Goal:Ipswich 0-2 Nottingham Forest (Elanga 37′)
Two in two minutes!
It’s one hell of a goal from Anthony Elanga, calling it brilliant doesn’t do it justice.
The winger picks up the ball by the halfway line, beats a couple of defenders as he races away, and then bends the ball home beautifully.
An incredible solo strike.
Goal:Ipswich 0-1 Nottingham Forest (Melenkovic 35′)
Is that really a centre-back?
Nikola Milenkovic seems to morph into prime R9 to rifle Nottiingham Forest into the lead.
The centre-back stays in the area after a corner and the ball drops to him from Nicolas Dominguez’s header.
The defender than smashes the ball past Alex Palmer in style.
WHAT A BLOCK! Man City 1-1 Brighton
Wow, that is incredible defending from Jan Paul van Hecke.
The Brighton defender turns into Superman to somehow leap across and deny Savinho.
Nope, he doesn’t use his hands, it’s just that he flies across.
Savinho plays a lovely give-and-go with Omar Marmoush, cuts inside, and lets fly of what looks like a certain goal.
But then comes Van Hecke to save the day.
‘Cagey at Portman Road’
By Matt Barlow At Portman Road
Quiet and cagey here at Portman Road. Forest happy not to have the ball and Ipswich reluctant to go tearing forward and play into the hands of the visitors.
Hutchinson has fired one over from the edge of the box and Hudson-Odoi has flashed one across goal at the other end. that’s about it.
CLOSE! Everton 0-0 West Ham
What an unreal goal that would have been.
West Ham are keeping Jordan Pickford very busy at the moment, and he has to produce the goods to deny them again.
This time, Jarrod Bowen produces some magic to fashion a volley, and my word it’s a lovely bit of play.
But Pickford does well to react and tip Bowen’s effort over the bar.
‘So frustrating for Saints fans’
After all that good work, Wolves make it 1-0. And it’s just so depressingly easy. That must be so, so frustrating as a Saints fan. Watch your team in control, build up a bit of hope and confidence, only to concede so simply.
Goal:Man City 1-1 Brighton (Estupinan 21′)
WHAT A STUNNER!
Pervis Estupinan silences the Etihad with a superb free-kick to level this game up.
It’s a wonderful strike from the full-back and Stefan Ortega doesn’t even move as it crashes in off the post.
Parity restored.
Goal:Southampton 0-1 Wolves (Strand Larsen 19′)
The start is not so bright anymore…
Southampton’s season continues to stay sour as they fall behind to a lovely header from Jorgen Strand Larsen.
It’s abject defending from the Saints as Jean-Ricner Bellegarde plants a lovely ball onto the head of Strand Larsen.
The striker is in so much space and he just nods it back where it came from in style.
Great finish, but terrible defending.
Ipswich 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Not too much going on here, hence the lack of updates.
Ipswich are having a lot for the ball, as you would expect, but we all know how stubborn this Nottingham Forest defence is.
It’s going to take something special to break it down.
‘Sugawara has been bright’
Sugawara has started brightly down the Saints right. He’s fizzed a decent ball across goal that Sulemana should have done better with before winning a corner and doing his best to gee up the fans.
Meanwhile, West Brom fan Aaron Ramsdale getting booed and called a w***** by the Wolves fans every time he gets the ball.
WHAT A SAVE! Everton 0-0 West Ham
Wow. Wow. Wow.
Jordan Pickford, take a bow. That is one hell of a save from the Everton goalkeeper.
Jarrad Branthwaite hammers ahead toward his own net, and Pickford somehow manages to claw it away at full stretch.
I thought that was going in, I really did.
Goal:Man City 1-0 Brighton (Haaland pen 11′)
Erling Haaland makes history!!
The Norwegian sends Bart Verburggen the wrong way to notch up his 100th Premier League goal involvement in just 94 games.
It means he is the first player in history to reach that number in less than 100 games.
It’s against the run of play, but Man City lead.
CHANCE! Southampton 0-0 Wolves
How is it not 1-0???
Yukinari Sugawara can’t believe he has not opened the scoring there, and neither can I.
Mateus Fernandes slides the ball across to Sugawara after a counter, and you just expect him to score.
But he fires the ball straight at Jose Sa. He has to score.
DISALLOWED GOAL! – Brighton
Brighton have the ball in the net… but it won’t stand.
Kaoru Mitoma smashes into Stefan Ortega with the ball crossing the line, but that is never going to be given.
Ortega maybe should be stronger and do better there, but it’s definitely a foul in my eyes, and Simon Hooper’s.
Ipswich 0-0 Nottingham Forest
Oh, I thought you were better than that, Omari!
Hutchinson does brilliantly to win a free-kick off of Neco Williams, and you are just expecting something special.
He is usually so technically brilliant, but he hammers this ball straight into the wall.
Terrible set-piece.
CHANCE! Man City 0-0 Brighton
Brighton mean real business!
The visitors have come flying out of the traps, and Manchester City just can’t live with them.
Kaoru Mitoma rips past Rico Lewis as if he is not even there before finding Joao Pedro.
Pedro gets to the ball, but can only prod it well wide.
‘Gibbs-White can feel aggrieved’
By Matt Barlow At Portman Road
Forest led out by Morgan Gibbs-White who for my money has more right to feel aggrieved about Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad than anyboy else.
‘Everton would love to make more history’
The colourful banners on the Gwladys Street End tell its own story – a homage to old heroes Brian Labone, Joe Royle and Duncan Ferguson.
Evertonians would love to create more history. David Moyes’ ended West Ham’s long wait for a trophy and there is growing optimism at Goodison he can do the same here
Hurzeler: ‘We need to be humble’
Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton boss, speaking ahead of kick-off:
Manchester City are still one of the best teams in the world and Pep [Guardiola] is still one of the best managers in the world.
For me, it’s very important to go there with a big portion of humbleness but also with a big belief in ourselves that we can beat every team in the league as we have proved this season. That’s what we will try to prove.
It’s not about chasing any records. It’s chasing our own behaviour, chasing our own limits. That’s what we have to do as well against City.
Skipping toward kick-off…
We all need to be a bit more like Nottingham Forest here, don’t we?
Just look at them skipping in the warm-up; top-tier vibes from them even when training.
Anyway, the warm-ups are now done, and we are nearly ready to go – I am buzzing.
How are you all feeling?
Can Ipswich end losing streak?
My word, Ipswich has been terrible since the turn of the year.
For a while ,it seemed like they were in with a shout of staying up, but that’s just not going to happen now.
I mean, they have failed to win any of their opening nine league matches in a calendar year for the first time in their history.
You are never going to stay up with form like that.
Kieran McKenna’s Tractor Boys have also lost seven of their last eight Premier League home games.
Can they end that rancid run today against Nottingham Forest?
‘Limited edition Sheeran stickers at Portman Rd’
By Matt Barlow At Portman Road
Limited edition Ed Sheeran stickers are the order of the day at Portman Road where the sun is shining but it is bitterly cold… and Ipswich really need to topple Nottingham Forest if they are to conjure one of the great escapes from relegation trouble…
Forest with 10 to play and top five looking increasingly good enough for a place in the Champions League must show they can prove with the extra tension bound to creep in… and a different approach from teams who start to treat them with a little extra respect and refuse to open up and give them the space to counter attack into… Nuno goes again with the team that started against Man City last week.
Nuno (who I’ve just bumped into in the car park with his big coat zipped to the top and his hood pulled up) goes again with the team that started against Man City last week
STAT PACK: Man City vs Brighton
You know what time it is…
Well, most people normally then shout ‘Chico Time’ but this is not the X Factor, this is sports coverage.
Our usual stat pack from the brilliant Squawka has arrived, so I thought I would show all of you.
I think after reading this, we should all expect some goals – both sides love scoring and conceding.
Well, I hope we get some goals.
‘Huge afternoon for City’
It feels as though this game has really gone under the radar somewhat. A huge, huge afternoon for the deposed champions. Defeat doesn’t really bear thinking about for them against the in-form team of the division.
Guardiola has spoken about a missed opportunity at Forest last week and they can ill-afford to slip on consecutive weekends.
Haaland seeking historic 100
Guess what?
Yep, Erling Haaland is on the verge of more history. I swear he always seem to be close to breaking some sort of record.
Ahead of today’s game, Haaland sits on 99 Premier League goal involvements in just 93 appearances, scoring 83 and providing 16 assists.
This afternoon he could become the first player to reach 100 goal involvements in fewer than 100 games.
Thta’s just damn mental, isn’t it? The fact that he is producing the goods with such regularity and consistency is scary.
Even in a terrible season for City, he is banging the goals in.
Can Moyes haunt Hammers?
By Ian Herbert At Goodison Park
Just imagine where West Ham would be right now if they had kept David Moyes. Honestly, take a second.
I mean, it took me only a split second to come to the conclusion that they would be much better off than they are currently.
The grass isn’t always greener, am I right?
Obviously, I am not taking aim at the appointment of Graham Potter, I actually think that was a fantastic one.
However, the decision to not renew Moyes’ contract and then bring in Julen Lopetegui was just downright bizarre.
He won them a major European Trophy… it was terrible the way they treated him at the end.
And look at the Hammers now. They are down in 16th and are just lucky there are so many terrible teams in this league, so they won’t get relegated.
Now Moyes is at Everton, I bet he wants to show the Hammers what they are missing with a win today.
I wouldn’t bet against that happening, that’s for sure.
‘Moyes reminds West Ham what they’re missing’
By Ian Herbert At Goodison Park
At Goodison. Manager of the month David Moyes provides a reminder in his programme notes of what he delivered for today’s visitors West Ham, who were happy to part company with him twice.
‘We had sixth, seventh and ninth-placed finishes, we got to a European quarter-final, a semi-final and ultimately a final which I’ll always remember with great pride.’
Nine in a row for Saints?
Normally, when I write a sub-heading like that, it’s a positive post.
Well, this is Southampton we are talking about… There is nothing positive about them at the moment.
They could become only the fourth side in English top-flight history to lose nine home games in a row in the same season.
That’s actually pretty mental, isn’t it?
Usually, home games are when struggling teams pick up some points, but that’s not the case with the Saints.
They are dead and buried, but my word, they will be desperate to get to 12 points to beat Derby’s record.
Can they do that today, or will they fall on the wrong side of history?
‘Juric switches to back five’
Southampton boss Ivan Juric has switched to a back five to help secure a win that would cement Saints legacy as officially not the worst Premier League team of all time. Three points here and they go past Derby’s tally of 11 from that dismal 2007-08 season. Wolves are unchanged from the team that drew with Everton last time out, looking to extend their six-point cushion on the relegation places.
City usually clip Seagulls wings
By Harry Bamforth
The Seagulls may be flying right now, but they might not be much longer.
On paper, you would expect these two to be evenly matched, considering they are just one point apart in the Premier League.
Also, the last time they played, Brighton completed a dramatic comeback to really start the City horror run earlier in the season.
So, you’d expect them to enter the Etihad with an air of swagger, right?
I’m not so sure they will. City have gone 14 home league matches without ever losing to Brighton, the longest unbeaten such run in their history.
They won 12 of those games as well, with a handful being proper hammerings. Brighton do not have a good history at City.
Will the run continue today?
‘I don’t see Everton losing’
By Harry Bamforth
Chris Sutton, It’s All Kicking Off! co-host, on BBC Sport:
Everton are on an eight-game unbeaten run in the league under David Moyes, and I certainly don’t see that ending this weekend.
Moyes left West Ham amicably last summer but there will still be a part of him that will want to show them they were wrong for not renewing his contract.
Time to put the Hammer down?
By Harry Bamforth
West Ham love chewing up some Toffee.
OK, OK, I know that was terrible. I will do better next time but the time pressure got to me.
Anyway, basically what I am trying to say is that West Ham have a good record against Everton.
While the Hammers come to this off the back of defeat at Newcastle, and they have struggled at times, they will still be confident.
That’s because have won four of their last six Premier League away games against Everton. Not bad, eh?
There is a slight problem, though. Just a teeny-tiny one.
Basically West Ham haven’t exactly been banging the goals in, which isn’t helpful when you are trying to win games.
In fact, they have failed to score in three of their eight Premier League games under Graham Potter. Not exactly great.
Meanwhile, Everton have not tasted defeat in their last eight Premier League games.
I bet David Moyes would love to get on over his former employers…
Sels chasing Forest record
By Harry Bamforth
What a season Matz Sels is having, eh?
The Nottingham Forest goalkeeper has been on fire – one of the best shot-stoppers in the league, and comfortably.
He has kept the most clean sheets in the Premier League of any goalkeeper, with 12. That’s currently the same amount as Forest’s club record in a 38-game season.
Just one more and he will stand out alone.
I’m pretty sure he will be confident against this Ipswich side who just can’t seem to buy a win.
Well, I would be if I were him, anyway.
Southampton and Wolves Team News
By Harry Bamforth
Shock, Southampton have made a few changes…
When you are a side that keeps on losing, you simply have to switch things up every week.
Ivan Juric has made three alterations to the side that lost at Liverpool, with Armel Bella-Kotchap, Yukinari Sugaraw,a and Joe Aribo all coming in.
Hopefully, Suigawara has learned that he can’t handball in the area and get away with it in the last week.
Interesting…
I would normally say why change a winning formula when a team goes unchanged. Well, because they normally stay the same after winning.
But Wolves drew against Everton and have still kept the same line-up.
Ipswich and Nottingham Forest Team News
By Harry Bamforth
Omari Hutchinson is back in town.
Kieran McKenna brings the starlet in as the only change to the side that lost at Crystal Palace.
That means we get to see more of Liam Delap!
Guess what?
Nuno Espirito Santo has decided to stick with the same 11 players that won against Manchester City.
Imagine my surprise…
Everton and West Ham Team News
By Harry Bamforth
David Moyes has decided to make just the one change as he prepares to face his former side.
Charly Alcaraz gets the call to come back in with Jesper Lindstrom the unlucky player to drop out.
Armando Broja is available again from the bench.
Lucas Paqueta is back!
The Brazilian has recovered from injury and is one of three changes to the side that lost to Newcastle.
Kostas Mavropanos and Emerson are also brought in by Graham Potter as he looks to get back to winning ways.
Man City and Brighton Team News
By Harry Bamforth
Ahhh, it’s that time of year.
Manchester City always have one matchday where their team new graphic is filled with pictures drawn by children. It’s lovely.
Anyway, there is still no start for Jack Grealish, but Omar Marmoush does come back into the side.
Ederson seems to be missing, while Rico Lewis gets the nod at right-back over Mathues Nunes.
Brighton make just the one change from the side that beat Fulham in dramatic fashion last week.
Diego Gomez comes into the middle of the park with Yasin Ayari dropping to the bench.
Joao Pedro leads the line yet again…
Guardiola: ‘Qualifying for UCL would be huge success’
By Harry Bamforth
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City boss, speaking on Friday:
We have to reach the highest possible level to qualify for Europe next season. We have to be consistent as possible. There are 10 games, six at home and four away. They are tough games at home and we have to do better because there are many teams with the same target as us.
It’s not a disappointment to be here, it is a challenge. If we can qualify for the Champions League, then it would be a huge success from my point of view. It depends on our football as to whether we will be there or not.
Brighton are one of the best clubs on and off the pitch. An exceptional young manager, who is doing incredible things. It’s not a secret. They deserve to be there.
Can City climb into the top four?
By Harry Bamforth
Nobody knows which Manchester City side we are going to get these days. They are so inconsistent.
One week, you will think they are back to their best, and then the next, they play like a pile of rubbish.
Honestly, I still find it strange that we are at this point in the season, and Manchester City aren’t in the title race.
It’s just bizarre to me; it’s what we’ve all been accustomed to.
Anyway, that doesn’t exactly matter because the fact is that they aren’t in a title race this year. This time around, Pep Guardiola’s men just need to make sure they qualify for the Champions League by finishing in the top four.
It’s a real dogfight for those European spots, and City are right in the thick of it because they just can’t stop losing.
Their defeat to Nottingham Forest last week saw them drop out of the top four altogether, although, they are only two points behind Chelsea.
Beat Brighton today, they can leapfrog the Blues and back into the top four. Sounds straightforward enough, right? Wrong.
The Seagulls are only one point behind Guardiola’s side and are breathing right down their necks. Fabian Hurzeler’s side are on a four-match league win streak and have no intention of slowing down.
It’s going to be one hell of a battle at the Etihad.