Manchester City face Brighton again as Haaland and Cherki target another statement

Manchester City welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the Etihad Stadium for the second time in four days on Saturday, with the Premier League leaders looking to extend their advantage over the side currently occupying third place.

The Seagulls will be seeking revenge after City won Wednesday’s League Cup fourth-round tie on penalties. The match finished 2-2 after 90 minutes, with both sides heavily rotating their teams before Geronimo Rulli made two decisive saves in the shootout to send the holders through.

The victory ended a difficult spell for Enzo Maresca’s team, whose perfect start of seven wins from seven in the Premier League was halted by a 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa at Villa Park last weekend.

City are top only on goal difference after Arsenal, the defending champions, recorded a third successive league win to draw level on points. Brighton sit five points behind the leaders.

Defensive improvement will be a priority for Maresca. City have conceded 11 goals across their past five matches in all competitions, letting in at least two in three of those games. They have not gone six consecutive matches without a clean sheet since January-February 2025.

Their home record offers encouragement, however. City have lost only once in their past 22 Premier League matches at the Etihad Stadium, recording 18 wins and three draws. Brighton have never won there in 18 meetings, with City winning 14 and drawing four.

Brighton have failed to win their last three matches in three different competitions since their 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace, their M23 rivals, nearly two weeks ago. They had not previously gone four games without a win since January-February, when they endured a six-match run.

Fabian Hurzeler said he was “disappointed” by the two “unlucky” goals Brighton conceded in midweek. He also believed his players were the only team “trying to create and win” during last weekend’s 2-0 loss at Liverpool, despite registering just one shot on target from 17 attempts.

This will be Brighton’s fourth away match in 11 days. Both of their Premier League defeats on the road have come against Liverpool and Chelsea, while four losses in their last six league away games is a poor return. Their league-best attack has scored 23 goals, and they have drawn on each of their last two visits to the Etihad in the competition. Nevertheless, Brighton have taken only two points from a possible 27 there as a Premier League club, their worst record at any top-flight stadium.

Manchester City’s only confirmed absentee is Antoine Semenyo, who has a knee injury. Matheus Nunes, who has missed the past two games with an unspecified muscle problem, remains doubtful.

Despite Rulli’s shootout heroics, Maresca has confirmed Gianluigi Donnarumma remains his first-choice goalkeeper. Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Elliot Anderson and Erling Haaland are expected to return after being rested. Ayyoub Bouaddi is pushing to start in midfield, which could move Enzo Fernandez further forward and leave Rayan Cherki out, despite Cherki having played in 13 of City’s 14 matches this season.

Brighton remain without Kaoru Mitoma, Femi Azeez and Pascal Struijk, all with thigh injuries, as well as Evan Ferguson (ankle), Stefanos Tzimas (knee) and Zadok Yohanna (knock). Ferdi Kadioglu and Chema Andres should return after hip problems, while Charalampos Kostoulas, the club’s leading scorer this season with five goals, is expected to replace Georginio Rutter up front. Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer are likely to begin on the bench after recovering from injury.

Likely line-ups

Manchester City: Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol; Anderson, Bouaddi; Foden, Fernandez, Doku; Haaland.

Brighton: Verbruggen; Kadioglu, Dunk, Vuskovic, Boscagli; Gross, Andres; Gomez, Ayari, De Cuyper; Kostoulas.

Goals are likely between two of the Premier League’s most productive attacks: both teams have scored in 10 of the past 12 meetings in all competitions, with at least four goals in six of those fixtures.

Brighton can exploit City’s defensive weaknesses, but a Haaland-inspired home side is expected to edge a five-goal contest.

Prediction tips: Manchester City to win and over 2.5 goals (1.86); City to win and Erling Haaland to score (2.10); Rayan Cherki to score or provide an assist (1.70).

Manchester City Premier League form: VVVVVD Manchester City all-competitions form: VDVVDN Brighton Premier League form: NVVVVD Brighton all-competitions form: VVVNDN