Manchester City will look to return to winning ways on Wednesday night as they welcome mid-table Brighton to the Etihad in the Premier League.
Manchester City’s title push looked to be hitting real momentum at the end of the year, with their 1-2 victory away at Nottingham Forest in their final game of 2025 being their sixth consecutive Premier League victory.
However, Enzo Fernandez’s stoppage-time equaliser for Chelsea on Sunday means Pep Guardiola’s men have drawn each of their opening two games in 2026, leaving them now six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.
Brighton put an end to their six-game winless run in the Premier League on Saturday as they secured a 2-0 win at home to relegation-threatened Burnley.
Whilst they have lost once at home this season, Fabian Hurzeler’s men have struggled on their travels, winning just twice on the road this campaign, with their 0-2 victory at 17th-placed Nottingham Forest at the end of November being their only away success in seven (W1-D3-L3).
How the bookies view it: City clear favourites
Despite drawing each of their last two matches, Manchester City have been installed as short-priced favourites for this clash, with bet365 pricing a home success at just 2/5.
Bet365 have Brighton as 11/2 underdogs to claim just their third away win this season, whilst the draw is 17/4.
Head to head: Three unbeaten for the Seagulls
Brighton are unbeaten in each of their previous three meetings with Manchester City, recording back-to-back 2-1 victories at the AMEX, as well as drawing 2-2 on their previous trip to the Etihad last March.
Players to watch: Haaland to haunt Brighton again?
Erling Haaland drew another blank at home to Chelsea on Sunday – his third in a row – but the big Norwegian striker is still enjoying a typically high-scoring season, scoring 19 goals across his opening 20 appearances in the Premier League.
The ex-Borussia Dortmund attacker has also scored in each of his previous four appearances against the Seagulls, but it only pays 7/10 at bet365 for him to score in a Manchester City win.
Predicted line-ups:
Manchester City will be without the injured Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Oscar Bobb, John Stones, Mateo Kovacic, Nico Gonzalez and Savinho, whilst Rayan Ait Nouri and Omar Marmoush are away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Brighton will be missing Adam Webster, Solly March and Stefanos Tzimas due to injury, whilst Carlos Baleba is on Africa Cup of Nations duty.
Manchester City: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Ake, O’Reilly, Rodri, Reijnders, Silva, Foden, Cherki, Haaland
Brighton & Hove Albion: Verbruggen, Veltman, van Hecke, Dunk, Kadioglu, Ayari, Gomez, Gruda, Rutter, Mitoma, Kostoulas
Anything else catch the eye?
This is a fixture that tends to produce goals, with the last 10 Premier League meetings between the two clubs averaging 3.60 goals per game, with Both Teams to Score paying out in eight (80%) of them, whilst nine (90%) have gone Over 2.5 Goals.
Both Teams to Score & Over 2.5 Goals has landed in each of their previous three meetings – and given how these two managers like their teams to play – the 10/11 on offer at Coral/Ladbrokes for a repeat appeals to me here.
Interested in why both teams scoring is such a strong angle? Check out our Masterclass on BTTS and sharpen your match-reading game.
Prior to their draw with the Blues on Sunday, Manchester City had won each of their last seven Premier League fixtures at the Etihad, with six (86%) going Over 2.5 Goals, and a repeat also appeals.
GambleAware