Man City vs Brighton is back at the Etihad on Saturday afternoon just three days after the cup tie, and this time there are no penalties to save Man City if the defence has another off day.
Enzo Maresca’s side came from behind twice to draw 2-2 in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, then went through when Geronimo Rulli saved the last two penalties. Before that they had lost their perfect league start, beaten 2-1 at Aston Villa.
City are clinging on to top spot on goal difference from champions Arsenal, with Brighton five points back in third. A win keeps them there, at least until Arsenal go to Anfield on Sunday.
Man City vs Brighton kickoff
Date: Saturday 31 October 2026
Time: 3pm GMT
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Man City vs Brighton team news
Man City team news
Antoine Semenyo (knee) is the only absentee and will not be back until December. Maresca said of him: “He’s good. He’s in a good mood. He’s inside the building, making recovery sessions and all the therapy that he needs. But again, it’s too early.”
Matheus Nunes and Iliman Ndiaye are both available. Gianluigi Donnarumma returns in goal despite Rulli’s heroics, as we covered in Maresca’s ‘undroppable’ message, and captain Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Elliot Anderson and Erling Haaland are all back after being rested on Wednesday.
Brighton team news
Fabian Hurzeler has far more to worry about. Kaoru Mitoma, Femi Azeez, Zadok Yohanna and Evan Ferguson are all expected to be out for around three more weeks, and Pascal Struijk misses this one but could return against Brentford on 5 November. Stefanos Tzimas is close to a return from an ACL injury after around a year out, though this is too soon.
The good news for the visitors is that Ferdi Kadioglu, Chema Andres and Charalampos Kostoulas are back. “We are quite convinced they will be options for Saturday,” Hurzeler said. Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer are fit again too, but we expect both to start on the bench.
Man City vs Brighton pre-match tactical analysis
The worry for Maresca is at the back. City have conceded 11 goals in their last five games in all competitions and have shipped at least two in three of them. The last time they went six games without a clean sheet was between January and February 2025.
They now face the Premier League’s top scorers. Brighton have 23 league goals, and this is the division’s top two scoring teams going head to head. Ten of the last 12 meetings in all competitions have seen both sides score.
Against that, the Etihad remains a fortress. City have lost just one of their last 22 Premier League home games, and Brighton have only two points from a possible 27 here as a Premier League side, their worst record at any ground in the division. Those points came from draws on their last two league visits, though, so the gap is not as wide as it looks.
Brighton also arrive on their fourth straight away game in 11 days, and without a win in their last three matches. Hurzeler felt they were the only side trying to win in the second half at Liverpool last weekend, yet they had just one of their 17 shots on target.
Man City vs Brighton key players
Erling Haaland
Back after a rest, with nine Premier League goals in eight games and seven goals in seven league appearances against Brighton. Nobody in this fixture is more likely to decide it.
Ayyoub Bouaddi
The teenager is pushing for a start in midfield next to Anderson after a strong few weeks. If he plays, Enzo Fernandez moves further forward and Rayan Cherki, who has played 13 of City’s 14 games, is the one who drops out.
Charalampos Kostoulas
Brighton’s top scorer this season with five goals was rested in the cup and should lead the line ahead of Georginio Rutter. He is the man to worry City’s back four.
Our Man City vs Brighton prediction: 3-2
Expect goals. Brighton are more than capable of punishing this City defence, but with Haaland back and the Etihad behind them, we are backing the Sky Blues to edge a five-goal thriller.
Man City vs Brighton predicted lineups
Our position-by-position reasoning is in the Man City predicted lineup vs Brighton.
Man City predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Donnarumma; Khusanov, Dias, Guehi, Gvardiol; Anderson, Bouaddi; Foden, Fernandez, Doku; Haaland
Brighton predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; Kadioglu, Dunk, Vuskovic, Boscagli; Gross, Andres; Gomez, Ayari, De Cuyper; Kostoulas
