Man City v Brighton, round two: the league rematch three days after a cup shootout, and the record City still can't break
Three days after City won a Carabao Cup shootout at the Etihad, the same teams meet in the Premier League. Haaland should return, Brighton are third, and City are still waiting for a 90-minute win over the only top-flight club they have failed to beat since 2024-25.
Manchester City and Brighton know each other well by now. Three days after their 2-2 draw and City's 4-3 shootout win in the Carabao Cup, they meet again at the Etihad in the Premier League on Saturday 31 October at 15:00 UK (23:00 Beijing). The game is not being shown live on UK television.
Where the teams are
| Man City | Brighton | |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Joint top, 21 points | 3rd, 16 points |
| Last league game | Lost at Aston Villa | Lost 2-0 at Liverpool |
| Wednesday | Won on penalties (2-2) | Lost on penalties (2-2) |
| Coach | Enzo Maresca | Fabian Hürzeler |
City won their first seven league games before losing at Villa Park. Brighton had won four league games in a row before their defeat at Anfield.
What Wednesday told us
Both coaches rotated heavily in the cup — see the full report. Erling Haaland was not in the squad, Jason Steele played in goal for Brighton, and young centre-back Vitor Reis scored City's equaliser. Brighton led twice, through Malick Yalcouyé and Georginio Rutter, before Gerónimo Rulli saved from Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk in the shootout.
So neither side showed its full hand. Saturday will be much closer to first-choice line-ups.
The record
Since the start of 2024-25, City have beaten 21 of the 22 top-flight clubs they have faced. Brighton are the only exception, and Wednesday's shootout does not change that: in the records it is a draw.
Team news
Man City
- Haaland is expected back after his rest. Five regular starters had three days off after the Villa defeat.
- Gianluigi Donnarumma should return in goal.
- Antoine Semenyo is out for at least another seven weeks. Matheus Nunes has been a doubt.
Brighton
- Mats Wieffer and Yankuba Minteh are back in the squad.
- Chema Andrés and Ferdi Kadıoğlu were doubts after the Liverpool game.
- Pascal Struijk and Kaoru Mitoma are unavailable.
- Brighton have stayed in Manchester all week between the two games.
Three questions
1. Can City stop the goals? Both are among the league's highest-scoring teams, and City conceded twice to a rotated Brighton side on Wednesday.
2. How fresh is Brighton's first XI? Hürzeler kept most of his regulars out of the cup tie, so his best players should be rested.
3. Does the title race tighten? Arsenal play Liverpool on Sunday — see the Liverpool v Arsenal preview — so a City win would put pressure on the leaders.
FAQ
What time is Man City v Brighton? Saturday 31 October at 15:00 UK time, which is 23:00 in Beijing. It is not on live UK television.
Did City beat Brighton on Wednesday? They drew 2-2 and won 4-3 on penalties in the Carabao Cup.
Will Haaland play? He is expected to return after being left out of the cup squad.
Where are City and Brighton in the table? City are joint top with 21 points; Brighton are third with 16.
