Man City vs Brighton Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Having faced off against each other at the Etihad Stadium in midweek, Manchester City once again welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to East Manchester on Saturday.

Kick-off date/time: 31 October 2026 at 3:00 pm

How to watch on TV & online: UK – Not televised & cannot be streamed / USA – NBC & Peacock

Man City preview: Winning streak ended

Having started their Premier League campaign with seven successive victories, Manchester City succumbed to defeat at Villa Park against Aston Villa last weekend, courtesy of a match-winning brace scored by Nicolas Jackson.

City got back on the winning track in midweek, albeit they required penalties to defeat Brighton and Hove Albion in the fourth round of the EFL Cup after a topsy turvy tie in which City took the lead before falling behind and then sharing a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes.

Brighton preview: Tough week for The Seagulls

Fabian Hurzeler and his Brighton and side have enjoyed an excellent start to that campaign but their elimination from the EFL Cup does come after a second defeat of the Premier League campaign as they lost 2-0 at Anfield against Liverpool last week.

That result itself came after a frustrating performance in Czechia against Jablonec in the league phase of the UEFA Europa Conference League, sharing a goalless draw in Central Europe and therefore now facing a tough test to avoid a four-match winless run.

Man City team news: Nunes a doubt

Matheus Nunes was a doubt for midweek and missed the game so remains a doubt for this one with Antoine Semenyo remaining the only confirmed absentee for the hosts.

Enzo Maresca may want to try and bring Phil Foden into the eleven after he replaced Rayan Cherki at half-time last week. It could well be that both start, as they did in midweek as both earned assists.

Further details will appear here following pre-match press conferences…

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol; Anderson, Fernandez; Foden, Cherki, Doku; Haaland

Unavailable: Semenyo (Injured)

Questionable: Nunes (Fitness)

Brighton team news: A few issues

Ferdi Kadioglu and Chema Andres were both forced off through injury against Liverpool last week and so both are now doubts for their trip to Manchester after missing out in midweek.

Mats Wieffer did pass a late fitness test for the midweek trip, though, and so is available for this one with Yankuba Minteh also making his long-awaited return off the bench in the cup.

Further details will appear here following pre-match press conferences…

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Wieffer, Vuskovic, Dunk, Boscagli; Ayari, Gross; Gomez, Hinshelwood, De Cuyper; Kostoulas

Unavailable: Mitoma (Injured), Yohanna (Injured), Tzimas (Injured), Ferguson (Injured)

Questionable: Kadioglu (Injured), Chema (Injured), Azeez (Injured)

Key stats

• Man City have won 12 of their 18 Premier League meetings with Brighton since 1992/93 (D3 L3) and have scored in all 18. 
• City won the first seven Premier League meetings between the sides but are winless in the last four (D2 L2). 
• City are unbeaten in nine home Premier League games against Brighton (W7 D2), although the last two at the Etihad ended 2-2 and 1-1. 
• City's biggest win in the fixture is 5-0 at Brighton on 11 July 2020; all three of Brighton's wins have been by a single goal. 
• Man City top the table coming into Matchweek 9 with 21 points, ahead of Arsenal on goal difference; Brighton are third with 16. 
• City won their first seven league games of the season before losing 2-1 at Aston Villa last time out. 
• City's 21 points after eight games has been bettered only in 2011/12 and 2017/18 (22 each) in their 30 Premier League seasons since 1992/93. 
• City have won all four home league games this season and have scored in 24 consecutive league games since 24 January 2026. 
• Brighton have scored 23 league goals, the most in the Premier League, and have the best goal difference (+16). 
• Brighton's 16 points after eight games equals their best start in ten Premier League seasons since 1992/93 (2023/24), and their 23 goals are their most at this stage (previous best 21 in 2023/24). 
• Brighton have won two of their four away league games this season (L2), 5-0 at Coventry and 2-0 at Sunderland, and lost 2-0 at Liverpool last time out. 
• Craig Pawson refereed City's 3-1 home win over Brighton in October 2022. City have won 19 of their 26 Premier League games under him (D4 L3), including the last five, and are W12 D1 L1 at home with him in charge. 

'Key stats' are Premier League only (not all competitions)

Man City vs Brighton prediction

Prior to their goalless draw with Jablonec, Brighton had hammered arch-rivals Crystal Palace by five goals to nil at the AMEX Stadium. That had continued a brilliant start to the campaign and they do begin the match day sitting third in the table, which may well be second based on whatever punishment is eventually handed down to Manchester City. City haven’t been overly convincing in quite a few of their games this season and The Seagulls will fancy themselves to bloody their nose here and another entertaining contest seems a decent bet for this one.

Man City vs Brighton tip: Over 2.5 goals