Pep Guardiola has shaken up his Manchester City squad with four changes for today’s Premier League showdown against Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium. The adjustments come on the heels of a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest last weekend, with injuries forcing the manager’s hand.
Goalkeeper Ederson, who recently pulled out of Brazil’s national team for the upcoming international break, is absent from City’s matchday roster. Stefan Ortega steps in between the posts, while Phil Foden, Matheus Nunes, and Bernardo Silva also drop out of the starting XI. Returning to the lineup are Rico Lewis, Ilkay Gundogan, and Omar Marmoush, joining forces with an attack-minded squad looking to rebound.
Ortega will be shielded by a back four of Lewis at right-back, alongside center-backs Abdukodir Khusanov and Ruben Dias, with Josko Gvardiol holding down the left. In midfield, Gundogan pairs up with Nico Gonzalez to anchor the engine room. Wingers Savinho and Jeremy Doku keep their spots, buzzing out wide, while Marmoush slots in just behind Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker has his sights set on a new Premier League record this afternoon.
Brighton’s Subtle Shift
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, meanwhile, opts for minimal tinkering after his side’s 2-1 victory over Fulham. The lone change sees January arrival Diego Gomez stepping into midfield in place of Yasin Ayari. Full-back Tariq Lamptey, fresh off a one-game suspension, was in contention but doesn’t make the matchday cut. Instead, Jack Hinshelwood holds steady at right-back, joining Jan Paul van Hecke, Adam Webster, and Pervis Estupinan in defense.
Carlos Baleba teams up with Gomez in the midfield pivot, while Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter, and Kaoru Mitoma form a dynamic trio behind striker Joao Pedro, who’s been in red-hot form. Brajan Gruda is back on the bench after missing the Fulham win, but Solly March remains sidelined and won’t feature today.
Confirmed Lineups
Manchester City: Ortega; Lewis, Khusanov, Dias, Gvardiol; Gonzalez, Gundogan; Savinho, Marmoush, Doku; Haaland
Substitutes: Carson, Kovacic, Grealish, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Reis, Nunes, Foden, McAtee
Brighton & Hove Albion: Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, Van Hecke, Webster, Estupinan; Baleba, Gomez; Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma; Pedro
Substitutes: Rushworth, Cashin, Slater, Adingra, Ayari, Wieffer, Knight, Gruda, Welbeck
What’s at Stake
City are desperate to climb back into the Premier League’s top four, sitting fifth as they host a Brighton side just a point behind them in the standings. The Seagulls, riding a wave of four straight league wins, have their eyes on leapfrogging the champions and potentially crashing the Champions League qualification party. With both teams packing attacking firepower, this clash promises fireworks at the Etihad.
