Match Overview: Brighton vs Manchester City

The highly anticipated Premier League Matchday 3 fixture between Brighton and Manchester City is set to take place on August 31st at the Amex Stadium in Falmer. This comprehensive preview delves into the Brighton vs Manchester City match, offering a detailed prediction, odds analysis, and key statistics.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Team Analysis

Brighton’s Recent Form and Season Start

Fabian Hürzeler’s squad concluded the previous season impressively, embarking on a five-match unbeaten streak that included four wins and a single draw. However, the current campaign has presented a more challenging start. The Seagulls began with a 1-1 home draw against Fulham on Matchday 1, followed by a 0-2 away defeat to Everton.

Key Statistics for Brighton

• Both teams have scored in 8 of the last 10 Premier League matches involving Brighton.
• At least three goals have been scored in 13 of Brighton’s last 17 league games.
• At home, the club is currently on a five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, securing two wins and three draws.

Brighton’s Predicted Starting Lineup (3-5-2)*

Bart Verbruggen – Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, Maxim De Cuyper – Kaoru Mitoma, Carlos Baleba, Mats Wieffer, Matt O’Riley, Yasin Ayari – Yankuba Minteh, Danny Welbeck.

Brighton’s Injury Report

Defenders Solly March and Adam Webster, along with forward Julio Enciso, are sidelined due to injuries.

Manchester City: Team Analysis

Manchester City’s Season Start and Form

The Citizens commenced their season with a commanding 4-0 away victory over Wolverhampton. However, their momentum was halted on the subsequent matchday by Tottenham, who secured a 2-0 win on City’s home turf. This defeat brought an end to Pep Guardiola’s side’s impressive 11-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, which included eight wins and two draws. Furthermore, it marked their first home league defeat since late February, following a sequence of five consecutive wins and one draw.

Key Statistics for Manchester City

• At least one team failed to score in 5 of Manchester City’s last 6 league matches.
• No more than three goals were scored in 6 of City’s last 8 Premier League encounters.
• The club has kept a clean sheet in their last five away Premier League fixtures.

Manchester City’s Predicted Starting Lineup (4-2-3-1)*

James Trafford – Rico Lewis, Rúben Dias, John Stones, Rayan Aït-Nouri – Tijani Reijnders, Nico González – Omar Marmoush, Oscar Bobb, Rayan Cherki – Erling Haaland.

Manchester City’s Injury Report

Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, defender Josko Gvardiol, midfielder Mateo Kovačić, and forward Savinho will miss the match due to injuries.

Match Official: Darren England

Referee Statistics

Darren England (England)

Matches officiated: 20 (Premier League, 2024/25–2025/26);

Yellow cards shown (including second yellows): 87;

Average yellow cards per match: 4.4;

Red cards shown: 4;

Average fouls per match: 23;

Penalties awarded: 20% of matches.

Match Prediction: Brighton vs Manchester City

Current Team Motivation

Both teams are undoubtedly dissatisfied with their current standings early in the season. Consequently, they are expected to approach this upcoming fixture with intense focus and a strong desire for victory. This encounter is highly anticipated to be an exciting and high-scoring affair.

Home vs Away Performance Analysis

Brighton consistently performs stronger on home turf, having suffered only one defeat in their last nine league matches at the Amex, that loss coming against Aston Villa. Notably, the only game in this run where they failed to score was against the Villans. It’s also worth highlighting that Brighton has conceded in eight consecutive home Premier League games. In contrast, the Citizens have found the net in 10 of their last 13 away Premier League fixtures.

Head-to-Head Statistics and Final Verdict

Head-to-head statistics also present compelling insights. In their last nine league encounters, both teams have scored at least two goals, with both sides finding the net in seven of those matches. Therefore, my prediction for this game is ‘Both Teams to Score – Yes’ with odds of 1.61.

Note on Lineups

* The starting lineup for each team reflects their formation in their previous match in this tournament.