Man City vs Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League preview, team news and prediction

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Looking to extend their club-record winning streak and ramp up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal, Manchester City welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening. City’s title ambitions took another hit with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea on Sunday, while Brighton ended their own winless run by defeating Burnley 2-0.

Despite facing a struggling, managerless Chelsea side lacking both confidence and defenders, Pep Guardiola’s men were unable to capitalize fully. City dominated proceedings before and after Tijjani Reijnders’s opener, but their failure to build on that advantage proved costly. Enzo Fernandez struck late for Chelsea, condemning the hosts to a second consecutive Premier League draw.

While City have been held by both Sunderland and Chelsea in recent weeks, Arsenal have continued to collect maximum points, pulling six clear of second-placed City, who now sit above Aston Villa only on goal difference. A win on Wednesday would at least cut the gap to three points before Arsenal’s clash with Liverpool on Thursday, but another draw would see Guardiola equal his personal record of three consecutive league stalemates—a run he’s experienced only twice before.

History is on City’s side, however, as they have won their last 22 Premier League matches played on a Wednesday—the longest winning streak by any team on a particular day in the competition’s history. That statistic bodes ill for Brighton, though the Seagulls arrive with renewed confidence after Fabian Hurzeler’s side put a winless December behind them with a comfortable victory over Burnley in gameweek 20.

Brighton had ended 2025 with three draws and three defeats from their final six matches, but goals from Georginio Rutter and Yasin Ayari ensured they started the new year on a positive note. The Seagulls now sit firmly in mid-table at the season’s halfway point, and a shock victory at the Etihad could see them draw level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea.

City’s defensive issues may be mounting, but Brighton’s own struggles on the road are evident—they have conceded at least twice in each of their last three away league fixtures, their worst such run since the 2022-23 campaign. While Hurzeler masterminded a memorable 2-1 win over City back in August, the Sky Blues remain unbeaten in all 15 of their previous home league encounters with the Seagulls—the most matches they have played against any team at home without suffering defeat.

Manchester City’s draw with Chelsea was made even more painful by injuries to Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol, both of whom were forced off with significant problems. Dias is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks due to a hamstring injury, while Gvardiol could miss the remainder of the season after suffering a severe leg fracture. They join Oscar Bobb (thigh), John Stones (undisclosed), Mateo Kovacic (ankle), Savinho (undisclosed), Rayan Ait-Nouri (AFCON), and Omar Marmoush (AFCON) on City’s growing list of absentees. On the positive side, Nico Gonzalez has returned to fitness.

In light of the defensive injuries, Nathan Ake and Abdukodir Khusanov are likely to be drafted into the starting lineup. Up front, Erling Haaland will be eager to avoid going four league games without a goal for the first time in his career.

For Brighton, their victory over Burnley was marked by the emotional return of Pascal Gross, who came off the bench for his first appearance back at the Amex after re-signing from Borussia Dortmund. There is a slight chance that Yankuba Minteh (thigh) could be available midweek, but Mats Wieffer (toe), Carlos Baleba (AFCON), Solly March (knee), Adam Webster (knee), and Stefanos Tzimas (knee) all remain sidelined.

Veteran striker Danny Welbeck has yet to score in nine Premier League appearances at the Etihad, and that streak may well stretch to ten on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Charalampos Kostoulas, who provided an assist on his first Premier League start at the weekend, has likely done enough to keep his place in the starting XI.

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