Brighton & Hove Albion
Man Utd renew January interest in Carlos Baleba with £100m price tag reported
United re-open talks with Brighton over Carlos Baleba ahead of January; Brighton set to resist. Jan.
Manchester United have recontacted Brighton & Hove Albion to explore a possible January move for midfield target Carlos Baleba, sources say. Sky Sports News reports the Red Devils have again asked about the feasibility of a deal for the 22-year-old.
Baleba endured a drop in individual form after the summer and has stressed it was not down to United’s failed approach during the summer . Brighton, however, remain expected to resist a midseason transfer. As in the summer, the Seagulls are holding out and hope to retain Baleba until the summer, when they anticipate multiple suitors could provoke a bidding contest for the central midfielder.
Although Baleba is viewed as United’s primary midfield target, he is not the only player under consideration. Interest in Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton is understood to be genuine, but all three midfielders are likely to carry significant price tags as Europe’s leading clubs circle.
United have also been linked with younger, less costly options. Lille’s 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi and 19-year-old Christos Mouzakitis of Olympiacos have been mentioned as alternative targets while the club assesses the market ahead of January.
Amid speculation, Amorim has publicly attempted to temper expectations, saying that “there have been no talks about reinforcements or departures during the January window .” The manager added that fringe players attracting attention have not asked to leave. He insisted that players such as Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee have not requested moves this month and that he does not expect to hold those conversations despite interest from across Europe.
For now, United are understood to be monitoring options while Brighton maintain a firm stance on Baleba, leaving a potential summer transfer as the likeliest moment for any move to progress.
Arsenal
Arteta Shrugs Off Hürzeler’s Complaint After Delay-Marred 1-0 Result
Arteta’s three-word reply followed Fabian Hurzeler’s complaint after a stoppage-heavy 1-0 Saka goal.
Mikel Arteta offered a short, dry response when faced with Fabian Hürzeler’s post-match criticism. Asked about the Brighton manager’s accusation of Arsenal’s so-called dark arts, Arteta smiled and said: “What a surprise.”
The exchange followed a 1–0 game decided by a scratchy Bukayo Saka finish and dominated at times by lengthy stoppages. At the final whistle Hürzeler remained openly frustrated. “Only one team who tried to play football,” Brighton’s beleaguered boss fumed.
Opta highlighted the extent of the delays, noting Arsenal required a combined 30 minutes and 51 seconds to restart play across the contest, which saw 13 minutes added on. Hürzeler widened his critique in a longer interview: “I ask you one question,” he posed to assembled media. “Did you see in a Premier League game a goalkeeper going down three times? You can’t control these kind of things … therefore the Premier League has to find a rule.
“I made my point before the game and I stick to it. In the end I think [against] these kind of opponents, you can only punish [them] by winning so today I have no arguments on my side. If I would have a 2–1 win, a deserved 2–1 win, I could speak differently.”
Arteta had warned before Wednesday’s fixture that David Raya was suffering from “some niggles”, yet the matchroom interpretation of each stoppage remained a source of debate. The sport’s authorities are reported to be considering measures to curb excessive delays, including forcing players to remain off the pitch for one minute after treatment, though there are not thought to be any specific punishments for goalkeepers who require medical attention.
Arteta was unconcerned by Hürzeler’s protest. “You just go back to the previous games [between Brighton and Arsenal] and you’ll find a lot of comments like this always,” he shrugged. That earlier context included a different tone from Hürzeler, who in October praised Arsenal’s set pieces: “You can’t defend them one-against-one, that’s the first thing,” he explained. “The second thing, I think it’s not only Gabriel [who provides a threat], it’s the movement they do together. I think they block very well for each other.”
Brighton & Hove Albion
Premier League yellow card update: Romero suspended, four players one booking from ban
Romero banned; four players on nine yellow cards and several others on eight as VAR tightens calls..
Refereeing standards and VAR scrutiny have tightened discipline in the 2025/26 Premier League, and that has translated into more suspensions across the campaign.
Cristian Romero has been one of the most frequently penalised this season. The aggressive Argentine has collected eight yellow cards in the competition and received his second red card in Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat at Manchester United. As a consequence of his nasty lunge on Casemiro, he was suspended for four matches. (Return Date: March 15, 2026)
With the season now past its halfway point, the league rule on accumulations comes into play. Players who reach 10 Premier League yellow cards up to and including Gameweek 32 will be issued a two-match suspension. No player has reached that 10-card threshold yet, but several are close.
Four players are currently on nine yellow cards, one away from the two-match ban. Three of those play for Wolverhampton Wanderers: João Gomes, André and Yerson Mosquera. The fourth is Brighton & Hove Albion captain Lewis Dunk.
A wider group sit on eight yellow cards and will need careful management over the coming weeks. Moisés Caicedo is walking a tightrope on eight yellow cards, as are Kyle Walker, Álex Jiménez, Marcos Senesi, Enzo Fernández, Bernardo Silva, Joelinton and Cristian Romero.
Clubs and managers will monitor these tallies closely as fixtures approach and suspensions carry potential impact on selection and squad planning. The combination of stricter in-game officiating and VAR intervention means players and coaching staffs must account for disciplinary risk when plotting the run-in to the end of the season.
Arsenal Match Reports
Saka Strike and Gabriel Resolve: Arsenal Edge Brighton as City Drop Points
Gabriel cleared off the line and Saka’s goal secured a 1-0 win as City dropped points in title race.
Arsenal delivered a pragmatic 1-0 victory at the Amex Stadium as Bukayo Saka’s lone strike and a resolute defensive display preserved three points. The win was timely: Manchester City drew 2-2 with Nottingham Forest, leaving Arsenal seven points clear at the top, albeit having played a game more.
The match was far from a spectacle. Arsenal rode a conservative, defensive plan through a muted second half, frustrating a Brighton side that enjoyed more possession and better chances. Concerns over William Saliba’s absence were answered by Gabriel, whose early clearance off the line erased the consequences of an uncharacteristic David Raya pass and set the tone for a stern defensive evening.
Declan Rice, despite earlier injury worries, was deployed and produced another energetic display, covering large areas of the pitch. Viktor Gyökeres, whose brace in the north London derby offered hope, struggled again and was replaced on the hour by Kai Havertz. Gabriel Martinelli was ineffective on the left, registering just 16 touches, an expected assists value of 0.06 and no shots or successful dribbles.
Player ratings
GK: David Raya — 8.2: Recovered after a sloppy pass and otherwise steady.
RB: Jurriën Timber — 8.2: Driven back by Brighton intensity but contributed an assist.
CB: Cristhian Mosquera — 7.2: Cautious after an early booking and limited in possession.
CB: Gabriel — 8.2: Dominant at the back and decisive in critical moments.
LB: Piero Hincapié — 7.6: Consistently won individual duels.
DM: Martín Zubimendi — 6.9: Still composed in possession despite a quieter outing.
DM: Declan Rice — 7.9: Overcame an injury scare to cover huge ground.
RW: Bukayo Saka — 7.4: Scored and worked tirelessly without creating much from wide areas.
AM: Eberechi Eze — 6.8: Showed one excellent pass but otherwise offered little.
LW: Gabriel Martinelli — 6.2: Largely anonymous and involved in a contentious challenge.
ST: Viktor Gyökeres — 6.0: Struggled for service and possession; substituted at 59′.
Subs: Kai Havertz (59’ for Gyökeres) — 6.4; Leandro Trossard (59’ for Martinelli) — 6.1; Riccardo Calafiori (64’ for Mosquera) — 6.0; Christian Nørgaard (80’ for Zubimendi) — 5.9.
Match statistics
Possession: Brighton 60% | Arsenal 40%
Expected Goals (xG): Brighton 0.80 | Arsenal 0.43
Total Shots: Brighton 11 | Arsenal 7
Shots on Target: Brighton 3 | Arsenal 2
Big Chances: Brighton 2 | Arsenal 0
Passing Accuracy: Brighton 82% | Arsenal 71%
Fouls Committed: Brighton 14 | Arsenal 12
