Prediction: Manchester City vs Brighton

Verdict: Raheem Sterling to score

Best odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: Bet365

Defending champions Manchester City will welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to the Etihad on Saturday afternoon in the fourth round of this season’s Premier League campaign. It will be a fixture reversed from the one that saw City confirm their 2018/19 title at the Amex Stadium on May 12th, one which they won by 1-4.

Manchester City

The Citizens have been as relentless as ever under Pep Guardiola in their wish to claim the title once more. Even in their 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, they utterly dominated the proceedings and were extremely unlucky to see a Gabriel Jesus stoppage-time winner ruled out by VAR for defender Aymeric Laporte’s handball in the buildup.

Nonetheless, they will see those two points lost as exactly that, and it makes in absolutely imperative for them that teams such as Brighton, with all due respect to them, do not leave the Etihad with anything in their hands. West Ham and Bournemouth have both already been run over, both at their own homes, but now City need to keep that pace up and not allow Liverpool to pull any further away in the table.

Team News

Defender John Stones could be available for Guardiola to select having returned to training, but it’s far from certain that he will. Gabriel Jesus is out with a hamstring issue, while winger Leroy Sane and fullback Benjamin Mendy remain long-term absentees.

Brighton

The Seagulls have so far been successful in maintaining their top-flight status since their 2017 promotion. However, the poor run of results late last season saw them come very close to relegation, and it was the final straw for the board who decided it was time to part ways with Chris Hughton, the man who had been in charge of the team since the end of 2014. Former Swansea manager Graham Potter took over, and has guided his men through the opening three rounds of this season with mixed results.

Having beaten Watford at the Vicarage and drawn against West Ham at home, Brighton finally succumbed to defeat at home to Southampton, a game they ended with 10 men. They now go to face the champions with little hope, but also without any pressure.

Team News

Striker Florin Andone was the one who was sent off against Southampton and is therefore suspended for this clash. Midfileder Yves Bissoma, winger Jose Izquierdo and defender Ezequiel Schelotto are out with injuries.

Conclusion

There’s obviously very little, if anything, the Seagulls can do against the reigning Premier League champions at the moment. Guardiola’s team is extremely formidable, even without the services of the injured players who are all of high class. The likes of Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva, complemented by Kevin De Bruyne who seems to have returned to his best, as well as David Silva and Rhiyad Mahrez, should be enough to break through any defensive line in the game. If Brighton manage to avoid a heavy battering, it’ll be all they can do.

One player that is likely to stand out is Sterling. The former Liverpool winger has so far scored five goals – joint most in the league, and he’s not very likely to be stopped by Brighton.

Verdict: Raheem Sterling to score

Best odds: 8/13

Bookmaker: Bet365