Premier League: Brighton Test Their Mettle Against Manchester City

Brighton & Hove Albion vs Manchester City

Brighton will go through a litmus test this weekend as they’ll take on Manchester City for the ninth matchday of the 2021/22 Premier League season.

With eight games already in the books, the Seagulls are flying higher than expected given their current place at the table.

Graham Potter admirably steered his squad into the top four with 15 points and they are just right behind Pep Guardiola’s side who have 17 points.

Pep Guardiola admitted before that he is a huge fan of Graham Potter’s tactical nous. These two clubs have clashing styles which led to their early success and it’ll be interesting to see on whether who gets the better of the other when they meet anew at the Amex Community Stadium.

The pre-match SBOTOP betting odds have City as the huge favourites. But given the hosts’ recent form, they should be able to give their visitors a huge run for their money.

As we look forward to this intriguing fixture, let’s examine the Sky Blues and the Seagulls here in this match preview.

Talking Points

Brighton to prove that they’re no fluke

The Seagulls have been exceeding expectations so far especially if you’ll compare from their subpar campaign last term.

Late last season, Brighton were only focused on avoiding relegation and they finished at 16th but now they’re at an advantageous position in the standings.

With only one defeat in their first eight games, Graham Potter has been receiving plaudits from many as he’s been backed by his overachieving wards.

After a difficult first season wearing the blue and white since joining from Brentford in 2019, Neal Maupay has turned things around by currently leading the team in scoring.

Can Neal Maupay help Brighton get past Manchester City in their upcoming Premier League clash? — Neal Maupay celebrates after scoring his first goal for Brighton against Crystal Palace

The Frenchman now has four goals which is already half than what he supplied last season. Most of his goals so far have come in crucial situations and he can easily surpass his previous record if he maintains his fine form.

But for the Seagulls to have a chance in this contest, Maupay shouldn’t be alone carrying the offencive cudgels for Brighton.

Unfortunately for him, his strike partner in Danny Welbeck is sidelined for several months due to a thigh surgery, so the likes of Leandro Trossard and Aaron Connolly will have to provide ample support up front.

Attacking midfielders Adam Lallana and Marc Cucurella have yet to open their scoring accounts this term, and we expect them to hunt for goals in this match as well.

Manchester City look to pick up where they left off

Unlike Brighton, Manchester City’s room for error is miniscule and they cannot afford to drop more points if they are to successfully defend their Premier League title.

Following their 2-2 draw against Liverpool to start October, the Sky Blues followed that one up with comprehensive victories against Burnley and Club Brugge in the Champions League.

As they’re going through a grueling schedule, Pep Guardiola is likely to rotate his squad ahead of this fixture.

Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, and Ilkay Gundogan didn’t start last Tuesday and they’re in line for bigger minutes this Saturday.

Ferran Torres is the only notable absence for Pep Guardiola as he’s shelved until early January due to a broken foot that he sustained while on international duty.

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Premier League

History

Manchester City have been dominant historically against Brighton here in English top-flight. In their last 22 games, the Sky Blues have won 14 times while the Seagulls have won four along with four draws.

The visitors have never lost in back-to-back league games against the hosts and they’ve won seven of their last eight encounters while outscoring them 21-2 in that span.

Their last meeting took place in May where Brighton scored a huge upset as they overturned a two-goal deficit to finish the game with a scoreline of 3-2.

Graham Potter’s men had the numbers advantage when Joao Cancelo was sent off inside 10 minutes, and they were fueled by second half goals from Leandro Trossard, Adam Webster, and Dan Burn.