Premier League: Man City held again as Brighton fights back for draw; Semenyo signs off in style for Bournemouth

Manchester City was held to a disappointing ‌1-1 draw at home to Brighton & Hove ​Albion in the Premier League on Wednesday, as Erling Haaland’s penalty was cancelled out by a second-half strike from the visitor’s Kaoru Mitoma.

City, which has now drawn its last three league games, is second in the table with 43 points, five behind leader ​Arsenal which plays Liverpool at home on Thursday.

Haaland ⁠struck his 150th goal for City from the penalty spot four minutes before the break, after Jeremy Doku was fouled by Diego ​Gomez and a VAR ⁠review confirmed the decision.

The Norwegian looked relieved to end a three-match goal drought and take his tally to 20 Premier League goals for the season.

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City ‌went close to doubling the lead just after ‌the break when Bernardo Silva pounced on a Brighton error, but his effort struck ‍the post.

City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Brighton’s Maxim De Cuyper became involved in a heated confrontation, which ended ‍with yellow cards for both players.

Brighton struck back on the hour mark, as Mitoma met a pass from the flank and positioned himself at the edge of the box before guiding a low shot into the far corner.

The visitor took control after the equaliser, slowing the tempo as it built its attacks, and came ⁠agonisingly close to going ahead.

Mitoma found Gomez inside the box, but Gomez could not get ​his finish right and struck the goalkeeper. The rebound ⁠fell to Mitoma, whose angled shot from near the byline rattled the post.

In the dying minutes, Haaland found himself alone in the box with only the goalkeeper to beat, but Bart Verbruggen ⁠produced a fine save to deny him.

Semenyo signs off in style

Antoine Semenyo celebrated his 26th birthday in unforgettable fashion as he scored Bournemouth’s winning goal in ‍a 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in what was almost certainly his ​last game for the club before a likely move ‌to Manchester City.

The Ghana forward curled a right-footed shot ​past Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario in stoppage time, sparking wild celebrations before being substituted to a standing ovation.

It was his 30th goal in 101 Premier League games for Bournemouth and illustrated perfectly why City are ready to part with 65 million pounds ($87.46 million) for his services.

“That was the type of stuff you ​write in movies and no man deserves it more than ⁠him,” Bournemouth’s Marcus Tavernier said.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola conceded that Semenyo will be leaving and paid a glowing tribute to the player whose career has taken ​off in spectacular fashion after ⁠loan spells at Newport County and Sunderland while a Bristol City player.

“To play the way he did, the commitment to help in whatever way until the last second. I think ‌football has been fair and given him a lovely moment,” ‌Iraola said.

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“I think it was, unluckily for us I think it was (his last game). He has been ‍if not the best, one of the best I have coached. He has improved every single season.

“He has scored 10 goals in ‍half a season and not even a number nine. It is not just the numbers but a lot of things — the physicality, the balls in the air and the defensive things. He will be a big miss.”

Bournemouth ended a run of 11 Premier League games without a win in a thrilling game.

It fell behind early on to a Mathys Tel effort but turned it around by ⁠halftime with Evanilson and Junior Kroupi both scoring for the hosts.

Tottenham had a penalty overturned after Micky van ​de Ven’s storming run ended with him going down in the ⁠area but the visitor did level in spectacular fashion with Joao Palhinha sending an overhead kick past Djordje Petrovic.

Semenyo had the last laugh though to secure a double for Bournemouth over Tottenham and heap more pressure on Tottenham manager ⁠Thomas Frank whose side is in 14th place.

Published on Jan 08, 2026