Entertainment Gists
Man City Win To Reduce Liverpool’s Lead At Top
Manchester City survived a brief scare to beat Southampton and shorten the gap on league leaders Liverpool to seven points.
Southampton responded to David Silva’s early opener when Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg took the ball off Oleksandr Zinchenko and fired it into the top corner.
City had luck on their side when Raheem Sterling’s shot deflected off James Ward-Prowse to make it 2-1.
Sergio Aguero’s back-post header completed the scoring before half-time.
Southampton goalscorer Hojbjerg – who had only just returned from suspension – was shown a straight red card for a lunging tackle on Fernandinho with just over five minutes to go.
City had a number of decent chances as Silva, Aguero and Riyad Mahrez all went close in the first half and Aguero smacked the crossbar after the break.
Southampton threatened too and Charlie Austin was twice denied by City keeper Ederson in the first half before Hojbjerg’s equaliser.
But the Saints were ultimately undone by Pep Guardiola’s free-flowing side, who move up to second place in the table.
City respond to Liverpool’s challenge
Liverpool went 10 points clear of City at the top of the table with a devastating 5-1 thrashing of Arsenal on Saturday, meaning the defending champions needed victory to keep pace in the title race.
City appeared to feel the pressure on Boxing Day when they squandered an early lead and allowed Leicester to win 2-1 at the King Power Stadium.
But they stood up to the challenge at St Mary’s – peppering Southampton’s goal from the off and responding to the equaliser with two quick goals on the stroke of half-time.
City’s opening goal was straight from Guardiola’s textbook: Bernardo Silva’s neat build-up down the right and cut-back into the centre was comfortably put away by an unmarked David Silva.
Sterling’s shot was then deflected by Ward-Prowse and flapped into the net by Alex McCarthy to make it 2-1 before Aguero headed in Zinchenko’s cross at the back post with ease.
It means City can cut Liverpool’s lead to four points when the two teams meet at the Etihad Stadium on 3 January.
Improvement for Saints
The last time Southampton played City in early November they were hammered 6-1 and failed to respond to three early goals.
But this time Southampton posed a threat and came close to breaking down a slightly nervy City defence on occasions.
Austin’s header at the near post was well saved by Ederson in the first half and that came moments after the keeper had avoided Hojbjerg’s sliding tackle on the goal-line.
And Saints’ pressing paid off when Hojbjerg robbed Zinchenko of the ball in the build-up to his equaliser.
City could not extend their lead in the second half but Southampton’s good work was only undone by the late sending-off of Hojbjerg.
A trip to Stamford Bridge is a difficult start to the new year but the Saints will likely avoid the drop if they can produce performances like this in the second half of the season.
Aguero reaches 50 under Pep – the best of the stats
- Manchester City have won five consecutive Premier League games against Southampton for the first time.
- Southampton have lost back-to-back Premier League home matches for the first time since September 2017, under Mauricio Pellegrino.
- City have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last 10 competitive matches – their longest streak since a run of 10 ending in February 2015.
- David Silva has scored against Southampton both home and away in this Premier League season – the sixth time he’s achieved this feat against a single side in the competition.
- Bernardo Silva has been directly involved in 10 goals in 19 Premier League games this season (5 goals, 5 assists), equalling his total in 2017-18 in 35 games (6 goals, 4 assists).
- Southampton’s starting XI had an average age of 24 years and 274 days; their youngest in a Premier League match for five years (Dec 2013 against Newcastle).
- Aguero has scored 50 Premier League goals under Pep Guardiola, 16 more than any other player has for the club under the Spaniard.
- Hojbjerg is the first Danish player to both score and be sent off in a single Premier League game, while he’s the third Saints player to do this after Sadio Mane (v Liverpool in Oct 2015) and Peter Crouch (v Crystal Palace in May 2005).
What’s next?
Southampton travel to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea on Wednesday, 2 January (19:45 GMT), while Manchester City host league leaders Liverpool at the Etihad on Thursday, 3 January (20:00 GMT).
Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶
Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.
The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.
And the big question now is:
Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂
Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.
One X user joked:
“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”
Another simply said:
“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”
But then came “Lembe.” 🔥
The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.
Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.
And it didn’t stop there.
‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED
On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.
One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.
From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.
Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:
Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥
So, let’s settle this once and for all:
Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?
Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇
RUAN-Badkid.96 is a Nigerian recording artist whose music refuses to live inside a single genre. Blending Afrobeat, Afrofusion, trap, hip-hop, melodic rap, R&B, and global influences, he creates records that move effortlessly between raw street energy, soulful storytelling, and infectious melodies. Whether delivering hard-hitting bars, emotional love songs, or rhythm-driven African records, his sound is defined by authenticity rather than limitation.
Inspired by both African culture and international music, RUAN-Badkid.96 embraces the confidence and ambition of global hip-hop while staying deeply connected to his roots. His lyrics explore love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, social injustice, hope, and the everyday realities of life. He doesn’t create music to follow trends, he creates music to reflect truth, emotion, and human experience.
Behind his fearless image is an artist who believes in kindness, equality, justice, and genuine human connection. His appearance may be intimidating, but his message is rooted in compassion and authenticity. Every record carries a piece of his journey, proving that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same voice.
For RUAN-Badkid.96, music is more than entertainment, it’s a language, a testimony, and a lifelong mission to connect with people through honesty, versatility, and unforgettable sound.
Entertainment Gists
Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype
If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.
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