Brighton Brighton and Hove Albion

Man City Manchester City

WHEN AND WHERE

We travel to the American Express Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday 31 August, with the game scheduled for kick-off at 14:00 (UK).

The game will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Ultra HD, Sky GO and NOW TV.

You can also keep across all of the action via the Official Man City App, as well as the key moments on X: @ManCity.

Supporters living around the world can find out how they can tune in via our global listings, courtesy of livesoccertv.com.

Next Fixture

All fixtures

Sun 31 Aug

Premier League

Brighton

14:00

BST

Man City

Teams

BRIGHTON XI: Verbruggen, Dunk, Van Hecke, Minteh, Hinshelwood, Baleba, Welbeck, Mitoma, Gomez, De Cuyper, Veltman.

Subs: Steele, Gruda, Rutter, Milner, Boscagli, Kadioglu, Ayari, O’Riley, Coppola

CITY XI: Trafford, Nunes, Khusanov, Stones, Ait-Nouri, Rodri, Bernardo (C), Bobb, Reijnders, Marmoush, Haaland.

Subs: Ederson, Dias, Ake, Doku, Nico, Gundogan, Akanji, O’Reilly, Lewis.

MAN CITY APP COVERAGE

Our Official Man City App allows you to follow all of the action from Brighton in one place.

Minute-by-minute text updates will begin in our Matchday Centre two hours before kick-off, while our Matchday Live show will begin at around 12:45 (UK).

It’s a goalkeeper special with Karen Bardsley and David James the guests on the latest Matchday Live show, offering their expert insight before, during and after the action. 

Once the game gets underway, you can also listen to live audio commentary from Alistair Mann and Steve Howey while our text commentary continues.

Make sure to have push notifications turned on as well, so you can be alerted to key moments in the action, including goals, red cards and the team news.

We’ll have a quick-hit 2-minute highlights package available from 17:45 (UK) while you can sign-in to watch a free 8-minute edit from midnight. 

On CITY+, meanwhile, from midnight there’ll be our popular full-match replay as well as our new extended highlights offering, which features the best 20 minutes of action from the game.

OPPOSING MANAGER - FABIAN HURZELER

The German became the Premier League’s youngest ever permanent manager last summer at the age of 31, after having achieved promotion to the German Bundesliga after a 13-year absence for St. Pauli.

His first season in the Premier League was an impressive one, guiding the Seagulls to eighth place - the second-best finish in the Club’s history. He led his team to impressive victories against the likes of Newcastle United, showing that they can compete with the league’s best.

Hurzeler is passionate on the touchline which sometimes seems him penalised. He collected four yellow cards and a red last term, a league-high amongst all managers.

The German is well-known for his ambitious style of play, giving his players freedom to play out from the back and float from position to position in an attempt to create overloads against the opposition, so we can expect the Seagulls to try and play their way through Pep’s team, rather than sit back in a low block and try to hit on the counter.

DANGER MEN

Hurzeler’s side lost main goal threat Joao Pedro to Chelsea over the summer, whilst flying fullback Pervis Estupinan left for AC Milan on a permanent basis.

This means the obvious threat for the Seagulls comes from dribbling extraordinaire Karou Mitoma. The Japanese international has pace, skill and wonderful agility, making him a nightmare for any full-back in the league.

The winger grabbed 10 goals and four assists in the top-flight last season and completed an impressive 48 dribbles across the campaign, only six fewer than Player of the Season Mohamed Salah.

Another player to keep an eye on would be towering defender Lewis Dunk. The Englishman is great in the air inside both boxes and the Seagulls could look to hurt City using set-pieces, which is why keeping Dunk under close observation could be key.

PEP GUARDIOLA PREVIEW

Pep Guardiola told journalists in his media briefing that Rayan Ait-Nouri is available for selection in this weekend’s Premier League trip to Brighton.

Left-back Ait-Nouri was forced to withdraw early during last week’s defeat to Spurs but Guardiola says the summer signing could again feature this time around.

After we face Brighton, the players will break for the first international window of the new season.

Rodri has been named in Spain’s squad for their fixtures during that period despite limited minutes for City as he continues his return to full fitness.

Guardiola says he supports the Ballon d’Or winner getting minutes and building rhythm.

PREVIOUS MEETING

In the final game before last year’s November international break, the Seagulls clawed back from a goal behind to win 2-1 at the AMEX. 

Erling Haaland’s opener on 23 minutes in a dominant first half ended as a consolation as efforts after the break from Pedro and Matt O’Riley ensured all three points for the home side.

In the reverse fixture at the Etihad later in the season, the Blues went ahead early on through an Haaland penalty. Brighton then levelled through an Estupinan free-kick before Omar Marmoush restored our lead before the break.

A scruffy but unavoidable own goal by Abdukodir Khusanov moments into the second-half ended the scoring in what was an open and entertaining clash that ended 2-2.

LAST TIME OUT

We fell to a home defeat in our second Premier League fixture of the season, as Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha fired Tottenham Hotspur to victory at the Etihad Stadium.

Brighton travel to face Everton on Sunday afternoon.

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Darren England

Assistants: Scott Ledger, Akil Howson

Fourth official: Simon Hooper

VAR: Paul Tierney

Assistant VAR: Nick Greenhalgh

GLOBAL TV LISTINGS

Supporters around the world can find out how to tune in to watch the match live by clicking here, courtesy of livesoccertv.com.

(Listings correct as of Sunday 31 August)