In a bid to reclaim the top spot in the Premier League, reigning champions Manchester City are set to journey to the American Express Stadium to take on Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday evening.
This encounter marks the first meeting between the two sides since late October last year when the Citizens managed to fend off a late Seagulls resurgence to secure a 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium.
Manchester City are on a five-game unbeaten run against the Seagulls, winning four of their last meetings. All in all, Brighton will be looking to claim their first win over Pep Guardiola's side since a 3-2 victory at the Amex Stadium in May 2021.
Amidst the swirling uncertainties surrounding the tenure of manager Roberto De Zerbi and the persistent injury setbacks, Brighton's performance has plummeted since the start of the year, leaving them scrambling to secure European football for the upcoming season.
In 2024, they managed just three wins in 13 Premier League outings, failing to clinch victory in their last four matches. Their most recent outing saw them salvage a point in a 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Burnley, courtesy of an unfortunate own goal by goalkeeper Arijanet Muric, shortly after Josh Brownhill had given the Clarets the lead in the 74th minute.
This draw marked Brighton's 11th in the league this season, a tally exceeding that of any other team in the division by at least two draws.
After finishing in sixth place last season, their highest-ever Premier League finish, The Seagulls currently find themselves in 10th position, trailing seventh-placed Manchester United and sixth-placed Newcastle United by six points with six games remaining.
With four of their last six top-flight matches scheduled at home, Brighton will be eager to return to the Amex Stadium, where they've suffered just one defeat in their last 15 fixtures across all competitions - a 3-0 loss to Arsenal in their most recent home encounter on April 6.
However, securing a victory on Thursday evening could prove to be a daunting task for the Seagulls, given their dismal record against the Citizens. They've lost 11 of their last 13 Premier League meetings with Manchester City.
Still, they've managed to earn four points from their last three home matches against Pep Guardiola's side, including a 1-1 draw last year, in which Julio Enciso fired a spectacular long-range strike that was later voted Goal of the Season.
Brighton will be missing a host of first-team players due to injuries, including veteran James Milner as well as the likes of Tariq Lamptey, Jack Hinshelwood, Solly March, Kaoru Mitoma and Evan Ferguson. Furthermore, Pervis Estupinan is also sidelined for the remainder of the campaign after the Ecuadorian left-back sustained a calf injury in the match against Burnley.
In the absence of Estupinan, either Igor Julio or Valentin Barco may step in at left-back. Elsewhere, Igor Enciso's fitness will be assessed before the game, while the Brighton boss has confirmed that defender Adam Webster is ready to return to the matchday squad. However, Lewis Dunk and Jan Paul van Hecke could retain their positions in central defense.
Up front, Ansu Fati, who scored against Man City at the Etihad, will compete with Simon Adingra, Facundo Buonanotte, Adam Lallana, and Joao Pedro for a starting spot in the attacking formation.
Only three days after their heartbreaking Champions League setback, Pep Guardiola's side secured their place in the FA Cup final for a second year in a row. However, City were far from impressive but eventually edged past the Blues with a 1-0 victory at Wembley last Saturday.
The Blues' missed chances came back to haunt them as a fatigued Manchester City side clinched victory late in the game. Bernardo Silva's deflected shot found the net at the near post, ensuring that the defending champions remain on course for another domestic double and setting a new unbeaten club record in the process.
Pep Guardiola's side now have another FA Cup final against their city rivals to look forward to next month. First of all, The Cityzens must first refocus on the Premier League title race. Despite slipping to third in the table after wins from Arsenal and Liverpool over the weekend, Manchester City still have two games in hand and should retain the title should they win all their games.
Remarkably, Manchester City are aiming for an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title. They have enjoyed a club-record 42-game unbeaten run at the Etihad Stadium across all competitions. However, they now face a series of away matches, including Thursday's trip to the south coast.
Interestingly, City's only two failures to beat Brighton in the Premier League have occurred in midweek games at the Amex Stadium. They lost 3-2 in May 2021 (on a Tuesday) and drew 1-1 in May 2023 (on a Wednesday).
Despite these challenges, Guardiola's team will be confident of success on Thursday. They have won 17 of their last 19 midweek Premier League fixtures and have gathered 19 points from their last seven away games. Additionally, they have scored in all 13 of their top-flight meetings with Brighton, facing only Bournemouth (14 times) with a perfect scoring record.
Pep Guardiola confirmed that top scorer Erling Haaland will sit out Thursday's clash as the Norwegian forward continues his recovery from a minor muscle issue. However, both Phil Foden and John Stones are available for selection against Brighton, despite Foden missing training on Tuesday alongside Haaland.
With Haaland sidelined, Julian Alvarez is set to lead the line for Man City. Alvarez, who opened the scoring against Brighton in October, will be looking to score his first league goal since January, when he netted a brace in City's 3-1 home win over Burnley.
Guardiola may opt for other rotations, given the fatigue plaguing some of his players. Rodri, who expressed the need for rest, might still start in the middle of the park. Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva, who reported discomfort in his left hamstring and right calf after the FA Cup semi-final, will undergo assessment before kickoff.
John Stones and Ruben Dias had their minutes managed last weekend, each playing for only 45 minutes against Chelsea. However, they remain contenders to start against Brighton, along with Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, and Kevin De Bruyne, all of whom have recovered from minor complaints recently.
· Brighton: Bart Verbruggen - Joel Veltman, Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, Igor Julio - Pascal Gross, Carlos Baleba - Simon Adingra, Jakub Moder, Joao Pedro - Danny Welbeck. (4-2-3-1)
· Manchester City: Ederson - Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol - Rodri, Mateo Kovacic - Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne, Jeremy Doku - Julian Alvarez. (4-2-3-1)
Brighton, having enjoyed over a week of rest and preparation ahead of this massive match, are aiming to bolster their European aspirations. However, despite their earnest efforts, they face a daunting challenge in containing the formidable threat posed by title-contending Man City, who cannot afford to drop points at this critical juncture of the season.
Anticipate a flurry of goals, as the net has bulged at least three times in eight of the last 10 Premier League encounters between these sides. With a superior head-to-head record, City are heavily favored to emerge victorious, even in the absence of Haaland, against a largely inconsistent Brighton side.
