The Matchday 3 Premier League clash between Brighton and Manchester City will take place on August 31 at the Amex Stadium in Falmer. Brighton vs. Manchester City: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Brighton
Fabian Hurzeler's side finished last season strongly with a five-match unbeaten run, securing four wins and one draw. However, the new season hasn't started as smoothly. In the first round, the club drew 1-1 at home against Fulham and then lost 0-2 away to Everton.
- Both teams scored in 8 of Brighton's last 10 Premier League matches.
- At least 3 goals were scored in 13 of Brighton's last 17 league games.
- The club is unbeaten in their last five home Premier League matches (2 wins and 3 draws).
Predicted lineup for Brighton (3-5-2)
Bart Verbruggen – Jan Paul van Hecke, Lewis Dunk, Maxime De Keijzer – Kaoru Mitoma, Carlos Baleba, Mats Wieffer, Matt O'Riley, Yasin Ayari – Yankuba Minteh, Danny Welbeck.
Defenders Solly March and Adam Webster, as well as forward Julio Enciso, are sidelined due to injuries.
Manchester City
The Citizens began the new season with a comfortable and confident 4-0 away victory over Wolverhampton. However, in the next round, Tottenham brought them back to earth with a 2-0 win at Manchester City's home ground. As a result, Pep Guardiola's side saw their 11-match unbeaten Premier League streak (8 wins and 2 draws) come to an end. The team also suffered their first home defeat in the league since late February (after five consecutive wins and 1 draw).
- At least one team failed to score in 5 of Manchester City's last 6 league matches.
- No more than 3 goals were scored in 6 of Manchester City's last 8 Premier League games.
- The club has kept clean sheets in their last five away league matches.
Predicted lineup for Manchester City (4-2-3-1)
James Trafford – Rico Lewis, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Rayan Ait-Nouri – Tijjani Reijnders, Nico Gonzalez – Omar Marmoush, Oscar Bobb, Rayan Cherki – Erling Haaland.
Goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, defender Josko Gvardiol, midfielder Mateo Kovacic, and forward Savinho will miss the match due to injuries.
Referee
Darren England (England)
Matches – 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 – 20%.
Brighton vs. Manchester City: Match Prediction
Both teams are unsatisfied with their league positions at the start of the season. Therefore, both clubs will approach the upcoming match with full concentration and a desire to win. I expect this encounter to be entertaining and high-scoring.
Brighton performs much better at home, losing only to Aston Villa in their last 9 league matches. Notably, they only failed to score against the Birmingham side. Additionally, the club has conceded in their last 8 home Premier League games. Meanwhile, the Citizens have scored in 10 of their last 13 away league matches.
The head-to-head statistics are also intriguing. In the last 9 league meetings, the opponents have not scored fewer than two goals, and both teams scored in 7 of those encounters. Therefore, my prediction is: Both teams to score – yes
