Brighton v Manchester City – Who would have thought Manchester City will be in this position right after claiming the Premier League summit at the end of October, following Liverpool’s stalemate at Arsenal.
Since then, Pep Guardiola’s side has lost all three games across all competitions, exiting the Carabao Cup, losing their unbeaten run in the league and UEFA Champions League.
Brighton v Manchester City Preview
It doesn’t get any worse than realising that one of their last two defeats was their first-ever loss to Bournemouth, and the other was an European humiliation in the hands of Sporting CP, managed by new Manchester United boss, Ruben Amorim.
Lack of form and fitness issues have plagued the team’s capability in recent weeks. Despite his impeccable start to the season, Erling Haaland has scored just once in the last five Premier League games, and head to the weekend on the back of back-to-back blanks and a penalty miss in the humbling loss to Sporting.
His goal drought highlights the clubs inability to create clear-cut chances in the absence of creative players like Kevin De Bruyne, while Phil Foden is yet to get into his strides consistently so far.
Brighton away from home is always a tricky test as you do no always know what to expect. Doing what you do best at times may not really help and City’s current form do not help matters.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side have also slown down in recent weeks due to injuries to important players in the team, most especially Joao Pedro, who started the season in exceptional fashion.
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Form Guide – Brighton v Manchester City
- Brighton are winless in each of their last three games across all competitions, losing the last two — both to Liverpool.
- They have picked up important wins against Newcastle United, Manchester United and Spurs while they also earned a point at Arsenal.
- Manchester City has lost one Premier League game in 2024, and it came in their most recent game in the competition.
- Manchester City has lost each of their previous three games, they’ve never gone four straight losses since the appointment of Pep Guardiola.
- Last time Manchester City went four games without a win was between March and April in 2017 (2D. 2L)
Brighton v Manchester City Head to Head
Manchester City has won 13 of their previous 15 meetings with Brighton, losing one.
Manchester City are unbeaten in their last six meetings with Brighton, winning five.
Manchester City has scored in each of their last 15 meetings with Brighton, averaging 2.46 goals per game.
Team news and injury updates
Joao Pedro, Solly March, Lewis Dunk, Yankuba Minteh, Adam Webster and James Milner, Yasin Ayari and Mathew O’Riley are all injury doubts for the host, although it does include those nursing long-term injuries.
Kevin De Bruyne made his injury return in Portugal on Tuesday while Jack Grealish and John Stones missed out, making their involvement this weekend a bone of contentious. Oscar Bobb and Rodri remain absent with long-term injuries.
Prediction: Brighton 1-3 Manchester City
