Game Week 9 Predictions: Manchester City to beat Brighton

Manchester City vs. Brighton preview: Guardiola's tactics, key players, and predictions for the crucial Premier League clash.

Manchester City will look to thrash Brighton after three straight losses on the domestic front but will Brighton let them? (Photo credit: Sky Sports)

 Manchester City vs. Brighton

Etihad

3:00pm

There will be five fixtures going on at the same time starting at 3 p.m. in the English Premier League, but this one at the Etihad will get all the attention.

Manchester City lost three consecutive domestic games, the last being the loss to Arsenal at the Emirates before the break. If you wonder what to expect from Pep Guardiola after having two weeks to plan, Brighton must be worried.

Speaking of Brighton, the Seagulls have endured an indifferent start to the season; when they win, they decimate their opponents, and when they lose, they do it scandalously. You hardly see any middle ground for Brighton.

Pep Guardiola has waxed lyrical about Roberto Di Zerbi in the past week, but you should pay attention to the game itself and not what people say. Guardiola is hurting, and he will do everything he can to fix things. He is a bad loser.

Brighton continues to miss Pervis Estupinian and could also be without Kaoru Mitoma, but Evan Ferguson was on target for Ireland during the break, and Carlos Baleba could be on hand to impress again in the middle of the park, but have they seen City’s midfield?

Rodri is back and available for selection after serving his three-match ban. The fact that the champions lost all three domestic games they played without him shows how important he is to their set-up. Expect him to dominate proceedings on Saturday.

Brighton doesn’t have a middle ground, and that is where the problem lies. Manchester City could hammer them if they don’t shore things up at the back. They’re famed for not knowing when they’re losing; that could be bad advice this weekend.

Erling Haaland is having a difficult time in front of goal; he didn’t have a single shot against the Gunners, and he’s been off-colour since the departure of Kevin De Bruyne to the injury table. He has a lot to make up for in this fixture.

Both sides will attack, and that interests us. It’s a game we are sure to enjoy, with both sides needing results to climb the table, but the champions could keep an eye on Champions League football in midweek, which won’t stop them from doing justice to this fixture.

Verdict: Manchester City to win.