The back four is completely changed with Benjamin Mendy, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte and Eric Garcia all returning.
Bernardo and Raheem Sterling are also recalled.
David Silva. Phil Foden, Oleks Zinchenko, Nicolas Otamendi and John Stones all drop to the bench.
Joao Cancelo and Ilkay Gundogan are not fully fit.
Line-ups:
City: Ederson, Walker, Mendy, Laporte, Garcia, Rodrigo, De Bruyne (c), Bernardo, Mahrez, Sterling, Jesus
Subs: Carson, Stones, Zinchenko, D Silva, Fernandinho, Otamendi, Foden, Doyle, Palmer
Brighton: Ryan, Montoya, Webster, Dunk, Bernardo, Bissouma, Pröpper, Groß, Mooy, Trossard, Connolly
Subs: Lamptey, Duffy, Stephens, MacAllister, Jahanbakhsh, Murray, Button, Burn
City to have a big say in relegation battle
With four games t go, all City’s remaining games are against sides in the bottom six of the Premier League.
After today’s game against Brighton, City face Bournemouth and then Watford before wrapping up the league campaign at home to already-relegated Norwich at the Etihad.
Given some of the hammerings City have handed out since the restart, none of those sides will relish facing Pep Guardiola’s free-scoring side.
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Brighton are not mathematically safe, but realistically they are highly unlikely to drop into the bottom three having an eight-point advantage of third-bottom Bournemouth and a far superior goal difference.
Sterling target
Raheem Sterling is aiming to end City’s top scorer for the first time.
The England forward has surpassed 20 goals for the third successive campaign and is one clear of the injured Sergio Aguero with 24.
Gabriel Jesus could yet have say in the race – he is currently on 19 – but will need a good scoring burst to overhaul Sterling.
Stats and facts
City have won all five Premier League meetings with Brighton.
The Seagulls haven’t triumphed in this fixture since a Division Two clash in October 1989.
Kevin De Bruyne needs to more assists to equal Thierry Henry’s top flight record of 20 - the Belgian maestro will also make his 150th Premier League start this evening.
Brighton have won just two Premier League matches in 2020.
City have lost three away games in succession for the first time since April 2015.
Just three of City’s 99 shots on goal have resulted in a goal in the past three away matches.
City average 19.2 shots per game this season with 654 so far – 87 more than any other side.
Five City players have made it to double figures in Premier League goals this campaign – an achievement that no club has managed since Everton in 1984-85.
