مانشستر سيتي × برايتون

Antoine Semenyo will not play. Maresca has said the injury is not muscular, that it could last about eight weeks, and that a return around December would give City another player; reports have called it a leg injury or a knee injury. Matheus Nunes was left out against Villa and was only a doubt for the cup. Maresca also sent Erling Haaland and four team-mates away for three days after Villa so they could come back with energy. Fabian Hurzeler said two Brighton players suffered hip injuries at Anfield and that he needed scans before judging them, while published lists disagree on whether every other absentee is definitely out.

City's last five completed matches were a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa, a 5-1 home win over AEK Athens, a 3-2 home win over Ipswich Town, a 2-4 home defeat by Paris Saint-Germain and a 3-0 win at Liverpool. The Ipswich victory made Maresca, on the club's account, the first manager to win his first seven Premier League games. After matchweek 8, City lead with 21 points from eight games and a goal difference of plus 11, ahead of Arsenal only on goal difference. Brighton are third on 16 points, with 23 goals and a goal difference of plus 16, the best figures in the published table. Their last five completed games were a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool, a goalless draw at Jablonec, a 5-0 win over Crystal Palace, a 4-0 win over Kauno Zalgiris and a 2-0 win at Sunderland. After Anfield, Hurzeler said the defeat was painful because the team felt it had missed a chance to win.

The last six league meetings were Manchester City 1-1 Brighton on 7 January 2026, Brighton 2-1 Manchester City on 31 August 2025, Manchester City 2-2 Brighton on 15 March 2025, Brighton 2-1 Manchester City on 9 November 2024, Brighton 0-4 Manchester City on 25 April 2024 and Manchester City 2-1 Brighton on 21 October 2023. Brighton are unbeaten in the latest four of those games.