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.
He was also named on the City bench on a number of occasions but without figuring before going on loan at Vicarage Road where he has garnered impressive reviews, making 16 league appearances this term.
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 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 revert 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: Verbruggen, De Cuyper, Dunk (C), van Hecke, Kadioglu, Gomez, Ayari, Hinshelwood, Gross, Mitoma, Georginio.
Subs: Steele, Gruda, Watson, Welbeck, Milner, Boscagli, Coppola, Tasker, Howell.
Formation and tactics
Gianluigi Donnarumma will be the familiar figure in goal and is set to be protected by a back four of Matheus Nunes, Khusanov, Alleyne and Ake.
Nico is set to be holding midfielder with skipper Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders also in the Blues’ engine room.
Erling Haaland will be our central striking focal point with Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku also set to provide support up front.
However, as always, such is the tactical and technical flexibility within Pep’s squad those positions could well be subject to change as the night goes on!
Home comforts
City will go into tonight’s match seeking to further extend what has become a quite remarkable home record against the Seagulls.
City are unbeaten in our last 15 home league encounters against the South Coast side.
That incredible run comprises of 12 wins and three draws.
Not surprisingly it’s the longest run we have enjoyed against a side without losing on home soil.
Meanwhile it also serves as the most number of games Brighton have played anyone on the road without claiming victory.
Action stations
Tonight’s game marks our third match in what will be an intensive and relentless January.
All told, City will play nine matches during the month across all competitions.
Following the visit of the Seagulls we then play Exeter in the third round of the FA Cup this Saturday before then travelling to Newcastle next Tuesday for the first leg of our Carabao Cup semi-final.
An eagerly anticipated Premier League derby away at Manchester United is next up on Saturday, January 17.
The month then wraps up with a Champions League trip to Bodo/Glimt on Tuesday, January 20, a Premier League home clash with Wolves on Saturday, January 24 before concluding with the visit of Galatasaray in our final initial Champions League phase clash on Wednesday, January 28.
Busy, busy, busy!
Stats and facts
- Brighton are unbeaten in their last three Premier League games against City (W2 D1), having avoided defeat in just two of their first 14 against them in the competition (W1 D1 L12).
- City have scored in all 17 of our Premier League games against Brighton, our joint-best 100% scoring record against an opponent along with Bournemouth.
- City have drawn both of our last two Premier League games; in Pep Guardiola’s managerial career, only in April 2017 and December 2023 has he ever drawn three successive league matches.
- City have won 31 of their last 33 Premier League matches on a Wednesday (D1 L1), while at home we’ve won our last 22 Wednesday games. It’s the longest ever home winning run on a specific day of the week by any side in Premier League history.
- Brighton and Hove Albion have shipped two goals in each of their last three away Premier League matches, last having a longer run of conceding 2+ goals between August and November 2022 (5).
- Erling Haaland has scored in each of his last four Premier League games against Brighton, though City have failed to win any of the last three (D1 L2). Only two players have scored in four in a row against an opponent while failing to end on the winning side – Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink against Man Utd (D3 L1, 1998-2001) and Charlie Austin against Arsenal (D1 L3, 2014-2018).
- Brighton’s 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 – it’s the most he’s played at one stadium without finding the net in the top-flight, having just one shot on target.
- Should he appear in this match, Brighton’s James Milner will be just the fifth outfielder to play in the Premier League while aged 40+, after Gordon Strachan (6 apps in 40s), Teddy Sheringham (24), Kevin Phillips (4), and Ryan Giggs (6).
Exeter tickets available from just £5
Be at our FA Cup third round clash with Exeter City at 15:00 (UK) on Saturday 10 January!
A piece of history will be made in the first ever competitive meeting between the two sides as both clubs set sight on glory in the oldest club competition in football!
Tickets are available from just £5 for concessions and £10 for adults so it’s a great opportunity to see your City favourites in action.
Meanwhile, hospitality packages start at just £90 for this fixture with a range of options and experiences available!
