Man City Manchester City

Brighton Brighton and Hove Albion

WHEN AND WHERE

Pep Guardiola’s side host Brighton at the Etihad Stadium for our Premier League fixture on Wednesday 7 January, with the game scheduled for kick-off at 19:30 (UK).

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

You can also keep across all of the action via mancity.com and our official app, as well as the key moments on X/Twitter: @ManCity.

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

Next Fixture

All fixtures

Wed 07 Jan

Premier League

Man City

19:30

GMT

Brighton

Matchday kit

City are set to wear our home kit for our second home game of 2026. For a limited time only, the kit is 50% off!

Shop the 2025/26 Home Kit now - while stocks last

TEAM NEWS

Max Alleyne is handed his City debut as Pep Guardiola makes five changes for Wednesday night’s latest Premier League clash at home to Brighton.

Having being recalled from a loan spell at Championship side Watford earlier this month where he has made a big impression, the 20-year-old central defender is afforded his first senior start for the visit of the Seagulls.

The son of former England and Gloucestershire cricketer Mark Alleyne, Max was a key figure in our Elite Development Squad who were crowned PL2 champions last season

Alongside Alleyne, from the side that drew 1-1 with Chelsea at the Etihad last Sunday, Nathan Ake, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico and Jeremy Doku all come into Pep Guardiola’s starting line-up.

Josko Gvardiol (fractured tibia) and Ruben Dias (hamstring) are both sidelined after picking up injuries in the course of last weekend’s game while Nico O’Reilly, Rodri and Rayan Cherki revers to the bench.

Meanwhile Mateo Kovacic, John Stones, Savinho and Oscar Bobb are also injured and are unavailable for selection.

Rayan Ait-Nouri and Omar Marmoush are also absent from tonight’s matchday squad with the pair still involved with Algeria and Egypt respectively at the 2026 AFCON.

Teams

CITY XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Alleyne, Ake, Nico, Bernardo (C), Reijnders, Foden, Doku, Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Cherki, Rodri, O’Reilly, McAidoo, Mukasa, Lewis, Mfuni, R. Heskey

BRIGHTON XI: Verbruggen, De Cuyper, Dunk (C), van Hecke, Kadioglu, Gomez, Ayari, Hinshelwood, Gross, Mitoma, Georginio

Subs: Steele, Gruda, Watson, Welbeck, Milner, Boscagli, Coppola, Tasker, Howell

Danger men

Danny Welbeck has scored seven goals in his last 13 away Premier League appearances, although he’s never scored in nine league matches at the Etihad - making it the most he’s played at one stadium without finding the net in the top-flight, having just one shot on target.

He brings a lot to the Seagulls front line and Brighton are not the same threat when he is missing from their attack.

In the past six matches Welbeck has started, Brighton went unbeaten and took 12 points, which included goals in home victories against Leeds United, Brentford and most recently from the penalty spot away to West Ham.

With three assists and one goal in 19 appearances this season, Yankuba Minteh has been a key man for the Seagulls this season, but it is currently unsure if he will be fit to face the Blues after suffering a dead leg during their 2-2 draw with West Ham.

Japanese international Karou Mitoma has pace, skill and wonderful agility, making him a nightmare for any full-back in the league. He posed a massive threat on the left  in the Seagulls’ trip to the London Stadium.

Another player to keep an eye on is defender Lewis Dunk. The Englishman is known for his towering ability in the air inside both boxes and the Seagulls could look to hurt City using set-pieces.

PEP GUARDIOLA PREVIEW

Pep Guardiola has confirmed Ruben Dias will be missing for up to six weeks after suffering a hamstring injury against Chelsea.

With the Club issuing a statement on Monday evening that Josko Gvardiol will be undergoing surgery on an ankle fracture – also sustained against Chelsea this past weekend – it means that, along with John Stones, the Blues are without three key central defenders at a crucial stage of the season.

On a brighter note, Guardiola confirmed Nico is available for Brighton, along with Nathan Ake while Max Alleyne has returned from his loan spell at Championship side Watford.

Previous meeting

We last faced the Seagulls in August as we fell to a 2-1 defeat at the AMEX.

Erling Haaland had fired the Blues into a first-half lead on his 100th Premier League appearance in the 34th minute.

But James Milner equalised after the break from the penalty spot before Brajan Gruda’s 89th-minute winner turned the game around.

Last time out

A late Chelsea equaliser saw us share the points in our most recent Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium.

Tijjani Reijnders scored his third goal in his last three starts to give us a lead in the first-half.

But Enzo Fernandez bundled home at the death to see a point apiece for the two sides.

The result moved us up into second spot in the Premier League table above Aston Villa on goal difference, but we still remain six points behind leaders Arsenal.

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 Wednesday 7 January.

City v brighton app coverage

Minute-by-minute text updates will begin in our Matchday Centre two hours before kick-off, while our Matchday Live show will begin from one hour 15 minutes before kick-off.

Amos Murphy and Luke Stanley will be engaging in pre-match discussion and post-match analysis with Cel Spellman.

During the game you can also listen to live audio commentary from Alistair Mann and Clive Allen while our text commentary continues.

You can also follow the action live with our Matchday Centre on mancity.com and our official app, as well as the best of the action on X: @ManCity.

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

A comprehensive match report, highlights and Full Match Replay (via CITY+) will follow across the evening.

City v Brighton tickets on general sale

We welcome an entertaining Brighton side to the Etihad at 19:30 (UK) on Wednesday 7 January.

And with tickets now on general sale, you could be there to see it!

Fans can now claim three tickets each, with adults from £30 and concessions as low as £15.

Or make it a night to remember with hospitality packages starting from just £180 per person and a wide range of experiences available to suit your budget.

Kick off the new year in style!