Premier League champions Manchester City will attempt to return to winning ways when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
While the Citizens are striving to avoid a third successive top-flight defeat for the first time since 2016, the Seagulls are hoping to end a four-game winless run in all competitions.
Match preview
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October's international break arguably came at a good time for Man City to reset following an uncharacteristic run of three defeats in four matches across all competitions – a 3-1 Champions League group-stage win over RB Leipzig being the only success celebrated over the last four weeks.
After coming up short against Newcastle United in the EFL Cup and then Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, City hoped that their win over Leipzig would act as a catalyst to turn their fortunes around heading into a top-flight showdown with Arsenal. However, a sluggish showing and a late deflected goal from Gabriel Martinelli ultimately resulted in a slender 1-0 loss in North London, condemning the Citizens to back-to-back league defeats for just the second time under manager Pep Guardiola.
Just one shot on target was registered by Man City against the Gunners, remarkably the fewest shots a Guardiola team has ever produced in a league fixture for more than a decade, and the reigning top-flight champions now find themselves sitting third in the table, two points adrift of both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur after eight games.
City's domestic blip in form coincided with the absence of suspended lynchpin Rodri, while Erling Haaland's hot streak in front of goal briefly fizzled out before he laced his shooting boots on international duty with Norway. Nevertheless, Guardiola is confident that his side "will come back stronger" as they continue their pursuit of a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title.
After enduring their recent wobble across four consecutive away matches, Man City will certainly welcome this weekend's return to the Etihad where they have won each of their last 20 games across all tournaments – a club record – scoring 65 goals and conceding just 10 in the process.
The Citizens also boast an impressive record against Brighton as they have never lost in 13 previous home league meetings, winning 11 and drawing two; City have won each of their last nine home encounters with the Seagulls by an aggregate score of 24-3, including a 3-1 victory last season.
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Brighton have also experienced a dip in form over the last month, winning just one of their last five matches in all competitions, although Roberto De Zerbi will have taken positives from his side rescuing 2-2 draws in their last two games against Marseille and Liverpool in the Europa League and Premier League respectively.
Liverpool were on course to claim all three points on the South coast courtesy of a Mohamed Salah brace, but Seagulls captain Lewis Dunk restored parity 12 minutes from time to snatch a point from an absorbing encounter – their first league draw of the season following five wins and two defeats in their opening seven games.
While Brighton have rightly received plenty of plaudits for their mesmerising performances in possession, defensive frailties have been evident throughout this season as they have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their 11 games across all tournaments; not since a 3-0 win at Arsenal in the middle of May have the Seagulls kept a clean sheet.
Brighton enter Saturday's contest at the Etihad having failed to win each of their last three matches away from home, but De Zerbi's men have already claimed maximum points in Manchester this season as they secured an impressive 3-1 victory at Manchester United in September.
The Seagulls, who sit sixth in the Premier League table, have only ever beaten Man City once in a league fixture, claiming a 3-2 home win in May 2021 – albeit after the Citizens had already been crowned champions – and they will be motivated by the prospect of claiming another victory this weekend as it would help them climb above Guardiola's side sitting in third.
Team News
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Man City's only injury concern is with Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring), but John Stones is in contention to start his first Premier League game of the season after recovering from a muscle problem; the defender played for an hour in England's 3-1 win over Italy in Euro 2024 qualifying on Tuesday.
Guardiola is also able to welcome back Rodri from a three-game domestic ban and the Spaniard is expected to return to his deep-lying midfield role, starting alongside either Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes, Rico Lewis or Kalvin Phillips.
Bernardo Silva, who operated in a deeper midfield role against Arsenal, is set to battle with Phil Foden for a start on the right flank, while Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku will push to start on the left as Julian Alvarez supports Haaland in attack.
As for Brighton, Julio Enciso, Jakub Moder (both knee), Pervis Estupinan (muscle) and Tariq Lamptey (knock), all remain out with injuries, but former Man City man James Milner is available for selection after missing the last five games with a muscle issue.
Kaoru Mitoma withdrew from the Japan squad during the international break due to illness, but the winger should be fit to return to the first XI this weekend and could join Joao Pedro and either Evan Ferguson or Danny Welbeck in attack.
In the absence of both Estupinan and Lamptey, Solly March could continue in a makeshift left-back role, with Simon Adingra retaining his spot on the right wing.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Foden, Alvarez, Grealish; Haaland
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Steele; Veltman, Dunk, Webster, March; Baleba, Gross; Adingra, Pedro, Mitoma; Ferguson
We say: Manchester City 3-2 Brighton & Hove Albion
An intriguing and entertaining contest is in store between two of the Premier League's most attractive teams to watch, coached by two of the most innovative managers in the game, and it is hard to envisage this fixture without goals at both ends.
Brighton's mercurial possession-hungry approach to the new campaign has had its benefits in attack, but they have been wide open at the back and that could prove costly against a fired-up Man City side eager to bounce back from their recent setbacks with a victory on home soil.
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Top tip
Oliver Thomas
