Brighton welcome Manchester City to the Amex on Sunday in what promises to be a fascinating clash of styles.
Fabian Hürzeler’s Seagulls, who impressed last season with an eighth-place finish, will again look to play progressive football despite losing key players Joao Pedro and Pervis Estupiñán over the summer.
Kaoru Mitoma remains their standout attacking threat with his pace and dribbling ability, while captain Lewis Dunk will be crucial in both penalty areas. Meanwhile, Brighton faced a Sunday fixture and now have a midweek League Cup trip to Oxford United that cuts into recovery time. Rotation is likely for that tie, but it still takes away focus ahead of the big weekend clash.
For Pep Guardiola, it was deja vu when his boys played early on Saturday against Tottenham and lost 2-0. However, they now have eight full days to prepare to overturn the growing pains against the Seagulls.
Brighton proved a tough matchup. At the Amex, City blew a 1-0 halftime lead and lost 2-1 during their worst injury spell, and at the Etihad, they again let a halftime lead slip as Brighton earned a 2-2 draw.
The Sporting News looks at the key details ahead of this game, including how to watch the match, kickoff times, and the latest lineup news.
Brighton vs. Man City live stream, TV channel
Here's how to watch this Premier League match in the U.S.:
TV channel: -
Live stream: Peacock
This game is not available for live TV broadcast in US. Streaming options are available on Peacock.
What time does Brighton vs. Man City kick off?
This Premier League clash takes place at the Amex Stadium in Brighton, United Kingdom, and kicks off on Sunday, August 31 at 2:00 p.m. local time.
Here's how that time translates across the U.S.:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Sun, Aug. 31 | 9:00 a.m. |
| Central Time | Sun, Aug. 31 | 8:00 a.m. |
| Mountain Time | Sun, Aug. 31 | 7:00 a.m. |
| Pacific Time | Sun, Aug. 31 | 6:00 a.m. |
Brighton vs. Man City lineups, team news
Brighton head into the weekend with key absentees but a largely fit squad. Adam Webster remains a long-term casualty after suffering a knee ligament injury in training last month with surgery scheduled in the coming weeks. Solly March is also unavailable, although the winger is expected to return to full training in September.
On the positive side, Georginio Rutter, who missed the last game with a minor knock, is being assessed ahead of Sunday, with some reports confirming that Rutter will be given every chance to prove his fitness. If he is not ready, Danny Welbeck will again lead the line.
Jack Hinshelwood, who was not deemed ready for the opener, has returned to training and is an option both in midfield and at right-back.
The midfield pairing of Carlos Baleba and Yasin Ayari looks set to continue with Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma offering width in attack.
Matt O'Riley is expected to operate behind the striker in Hurzeler's 4-2-3-1 setup, although transfer speculation means he could be left out.
Brighton predicted starting XI (4-2-3-1, right to left): Verbruggen (GK) — Wieffer, Van Hecke, Dunk, De Cuyper — Baleba, Ayari— Minteh, O'Riley, Mitoma — Welbeck
Injured: Webster (knee), March (knee), Enciso (knee), Rutter (doubt)
Suspended: None
City are set to welcome back key players for their clash with Brighton, although Ederson may not be among them: the Brazilian is expected to sign for Galatasaray before the transfer window closes.
Josko Gvardiol has resumed training but remains a doubt and Guardiola will decide closer to kickoff if the defender is ready for selection. Rayan Ait-Nouri was forced off on his debut against Tottenham with an ankle problem but the issue is not considered serious, although he remains a doubt.
Mateo Kovacic and Kalvin Phillips are long-term absentees, while Savinho is sidelined. In midfield, Rodri and Phil Foden returned from the bench against Spurs, and the former is expected to start against Brighton.
Rico Lewis struggled in his right-back outing last week, so Guardiola may opt for adjustments, with Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake candidates to start in the back line alongside Ruben Dias.
Man City predicted starting XI (4-3-3, right to left): Trafford (GK) — Nunes, Stones, Dias, Ake — Reijnders, Rodri, Silva — Doku, Haaland, Foden
Injured: Kovacic (Achilles), Phillips (Achilles), Savinho (unspecified), Gvardiol (knock, doubt), Ait-Nouri (knee, doubt)
Suspended: None
Premier League fixture schedule this week
All times ET
Saturday, August 30
- Chelsea vs. Fulham (7:30 a.m.)
- Manchester United vs. Burnley (10:00 a.m.)
- Sunderland vs. Brentford (10:00 a.m.)
- Tottenham Hotspur vs. AFC Bournemouth (10:00 a.m.)
- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Everton (10:00 a.m.)
- Leeds United vs. Newcastle United (12:30 p.m.)
Sunday, August 31
- Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Manchester City (9:00 a.m.)
- Nottingham Forest vs. West Ham United (9:00 a.m.)
- Liverpool vs. Arsenal (11:30 a.m.)
- Aston Villa vs. Crystal Palace (2:00 p.m.)