Manchester City will host Brighton and Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, aiming to secure a strong home result in the Premier League. Following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Chelsea, the team is eager to get back to winning form this week.
Pep Guardiola is likely to employ a 4-3-3 formation and may introduce some changes to his starting lineup for this match. Nathan Ake, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Jeremy Doku could all be in the XI from the outset.
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Predicted 4-3-3 Lineup for Manchester City Against Brighton
Defence
Gianluigi Donnarumma is set to take his place between the sticks after conceding just one goal in his previous game. Abdukodir Khusanov will partner Nathan Ake at the heart of the Manchester City defence, hoping to keep Brighton at bay throughout the match.
Matheus Nunes is anticipated to fill the right-back role, while Nico O’Reilly will take on left-back duties. Guardiola will instruct both players to venture forward and contribute to the attack whenever possible.
Rico Lewis will provide additional defensive cover from the bench.
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – JANUARY 04: Erling Haaland of Manchester City during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Etihad Stadium on January 04, 2026, in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
Midfield
The midfield trio of Phil Foden, Rodri, and Bernardo Silva will focus on dominating the midfield battles and creating clear opportunities in the attacking third.
Nico Gonzalez is a slight doubt ahead of the match, but he could possibly start on the bench. Divine Mukasa and Tijjani Reijnders are also expected to be included among Guardiola’s substitutes and may be called upon to impact the game in the second half if necessary.
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Attack
Jeremy Doku will look to utilize his speed on the left wing, while Rayan Cherki aims to showcase his skills from the right flank.
Leading the line for Manchester City will be Erling Haaland, who is seeking to bounce back after failing to score against Chelsea. This match presents a prime opportunity for him to return to his goal-scoring ways in the Premier League.
Reigan Heskey will round out the squad on the bench.