We face the Seagulls at the Etihad Stadium this afternoon, kick-off 15:00 (UK time).
In comes Aymeric Laporte, Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish in place of Nathan Ake, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden.
John Stones also returns to the bench after five games out injured.
Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips remain sidelined for this one.
Matchday Centre | City v BRIGHTON
Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference that Phillips was “recovering really well” but the game today comes too soon for the summer signing.
Meanwhile, left-back Josh Wilson-Esbrand – in the squad for the last four games against FC Copenhagen (2), Southampton and Liverpool – switches to the EDS squad for our game today at home to Crystal Palace.
TEAMS
CITY XI: Ederson, Akanji, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodrigo, De Bruyne ©, Bernardo, Mahrez, Grealish, Haaland.
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Stones, Ake, Gundogan, Alvarez, Gomez, Foden, Palmer, Lewis.
BRIGHTON XI: Sanchez, Webster, Dunk, March, Mac Allister, Trossard, Gross, Lallana, Welbeck, Caicedo, Veltman.
Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Colwill, Sarmiento, Enciso, Undav, Gilmour, Van Hecke, Estupinan.
TACTICS
We can expect 4-3-3 once again by Pep Guardiola.
Ederson is between the sticks and will be protected by a back four of Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and Joao Cancelo.
Rodrigo sits at the base of the midfield, with Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne pushing forward on either side of him.
Jack Grealish will play on the left wing and Riyad Mahrez on the right in support of central striker Erling Haaland.
WELCOME BACK JOHN
There’s a feelgood factor at the Etihad Stadium ahead of kick-off as we see the return to the squad of centre-half John Stones.
Stones has been unavailable for just under a month after limping off in England’s 3-3 draw with Germany at Wembley Stadium with a hamstring injury.
That forced his absence from games against Manchester United, FC Copenhagen home and away, Southampton and Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola revealed in his pre-match press conference that Stones had been training for the past couple of days and today has seen confirmation that he’s back involved.
MATCH STATS
Head-to-head
- Man City have won nine of our 10 Premier League meetings with Brighton, with the exception being a 3-2 away loss in May 2021.
- Man City’s Phil Foden has been involved in six goals in his last four Premier League appearances against Brighton, scoring five and assisting one. A goal here would see him become the first player to score in five consecutive Premier League games against Brighton.
Manchester City
- Man City have won each of our last nine Premier League home games, scoring at least three goals each time. There have only been two longer such runs in English top-flight history, both recorded by Aston Villa (12 between March/December 1897 and 13 between December 1930 and September 1931).
- Man City lost for the first time in 22 Premier League games last time out against Liverpool, with us last losing consecutive league matches in December 2018.
- Having failed to score in his first appearance for Man City at the Etihad Stadium, Erling Haaland has scored in each of his last six home games in all competitions, netting 13 goals in total. The last player to score in seven consecutive home games for us was Sergio Agüero, between December and February in the 2017-18 campaign.
- Kevin De Bruyne has created more chances (33) and provided more assists (9) than any other player in the Premier League this season. He’s also been involved in four goals in his three Premier League home games against Brighton (1 goal, 3 assists).
Brighton
- Brighton are winless in their last three away league games, losing twice and conceding seven goals. They had won five of their previous seven on the road before this (D1 L1) and had conceded just six goals in that run.
- After scoring three goals from just six attempts in Roberto De Zerbi’s first match in charge, Brighton have failed to score with any of their 54 shots over their last three Premier League games.
