Defending Premier League champions Manchester City are looking to record their third consecutive victory in all competitions when they face Brighton at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday. Last season Manchester City defeated Brighton 2-0 away from home and then 3-1 in Manchester. However, Brighton still have the pleasant memory of a victory over Manchester City in the League Cup, it happened in 2008 and the Seagulls prevailed on penalties. The last league victory for Brighton over the Citizens was in 1989, when both teams were playing in Division Two.
Manchester City have recovered well from last week's setback, the 2-1 defeat at home against Lyon in the UEFA Champions League. Last weekend the Citizens secured a 5-0 victory at struggling Cardiff, and this week they defeated Oxford United 3-0 in the League Cup. Manager Pep Guardiola gave a few youngsters a chance to shine in the League Cup match, and midfielder Phil Foden even got his name on the score sheet. The manager will surely revert to a stronger starting eleven for Saturday's match, but he might still rest some players for next week's Champions League match against Hoffenheim. Eliaquim Mangala, Kevin De Bruyne, Claudio Bravo and Benjamin Mendy are still on the injured list.
Brighton didn't have the season start they might have been hoping for, they have won just one of their seven matches in all competitions so far and have lost four games already. Last weekend they lost 2-1 at home against Tottenham, a defeat which came after two consecutive 2-2 draws in the Premier League. The Seagulls have defeated Manchester United 3-2 in August, but the Citizens seem in much better shape than the Red Devils were at that time. Dale Stephens is injured and won't be in the squad, while Pascal Gross and Jose Izquierdo are doubts. Manager Chris Hughton might choose a more defensive set up for this match, with a probable 5-4-1 formation.
Probable line-ups:
Man City: Ederson - Walker, Stones, Laporte, Delph - B. Silva, Fernandinho, Gundogan - Mahrez, Jesus, Sane
Brighton: Ryan - Montoya, Balogun, Duffy, Dunk, Bong - Knockaert, Propper, Bissouma, Jahanbakhsh - Murray
My prediction: Manchester City to win 3-0, the Seagulls won't be able to cope with the Citizens' attacking power.
Here are the odds for the match at Bet365:
Man City win - 1.07
Draw - 11.00
Brighton win - 23.00
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