Albion were knocked out of the Carabao Cup fourth round at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday 28 October 2026. Manchester City drew 2-2 with Albion after 90 minutes and won the penalty shootout 4-3. Albion led twice, through Malick Yalcouye and Georginio Rutter, and City levelled each time.
Albion now return to the same ground on Saturday 31 October for a Premier League game, kick-off 3pm UK time. Here is how the cup tie unfolded, according to the two clubs’ own match reports.
First half: Yalcouye gives Albion the lead
The only early chance fell to City’s Rayan Cherki, whose shot from 20 yards was easy for Jason Steele. Albion pressed hard without the ball, and after 30 minutes it paid off. Diego Gomez won possession on the right, Jack Hinshelwood pulled the ball back to Georginio Rutter, and his cross was steered in by Malick Yalcouye from close range. City keeper Gerónimo Rulli got a touch but could not keep it out.
City’s Ayyoub Bouaddi was shown a yellow card for a lunging challenge on Yalcouye soon after the goal. City levelled in the 40th minute when Mateo Kovacic curled a shot from outside the area in off the post. Yasin Ayari tried a lob from distance with the last action of the half, but it drifted wide.
Second half: Rutter strikes, then City equalise again
Albion went ahead again just after the restart. A 20-pass move ended with Georginio Rutter turning in Jaouen Hadjam’s low cross for 2-1. Rutter then curled a shot towards the top corner that Rulli tipped onto the crossbar, according to Albion’s match report.
City got back level in the 72nd minute. Foden’s run won a free-kick on the edge of the box, and Vitor Reis flicked in Cherki’s low free-kick for his first City goal. Albion thought they had a third soon after, when Pascal Gross lifted the ball over Rulli, but the flag was already up for offside.
Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer both came on in the final 15 minutes, returning after months out with injuries. Wieffer then hit the post with a late effort at the far post, and Minteh curled a shot onto the roof of the net. City’s Enzo Fernandez was a touch away from scoring from a Foden delivery late on.
The penalty shootout
City scored through Phil Foden, Enzo Fernandez and Jeremy Doku, and Albion matched them with Pascal Gross, Matt O’Riley and Maxim De Cuyper to make it 3-3. Steele then saved Kovacic’s kick, but Rulli saved Yasin Ayari’s effort. Cherki put City 4-3 up with their fifth kick, and Rulli denied Lewis Dunk to send City through.
It was City’s first penalty shootout in more than two years, the club says. Albion reached the tie by knocking out Manchester United in the previous round.
What Hurzeler and Rulli said
Fabian Hurzeler said Albion missed a chance to reach the last eight, as the club reported on its website:
“Of course, we are all disappointed. I think the game was there for us. In the end, losing a penalty shootout is always 50-50, but of course it's a brutal feeling.”
Fabian Hurzeler, Albion head coach
He said the key moments went City’s way:
“I think the first goal from City happened because they were one man up, and the second goal was a deflected shot, so that's also football.”
Fabian Hurzeler, Albion head coach
He added that he would never criticise anyone who misses a penalty, saying he has “huge respect” for players who step up. Albion face City again in three days, and Hurzeler said the team “want to finish this game with a different feeling”.
City’s goalkeeper was the hero of the shootout, and he told the club’s website it was his moment:
“For me it’s my moment.”
Gerónimo Rulli, Manchester City goalkeeper, in City’s match report
Line-ups, the crowd and what is next
Crowd: City say 55,345 watched the tie, a record Etihad Stadium domestic cup crowd.
City next: City have been drawn at home to Bradford City in the fifth round. That match will be played in the week beginning 14 December.
Albion next: Albion return to the Etihad on Saturday 31 October for a Premier League game, kick-off 3pm UK time. Our Man City v Albion Premier League preview has the tickets, form and what the clubs have said. After that, Albion are at Getafe in the Conference League on Thursday 5 November, then host Brentford in the Premier League on Sunday 8 November at 2pm.
Sources: Brighton & Hove Albion match report; Brighton & Hove Albion, Hurzeler reaction; Manchester City match report.
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