Manchester City lose fourth game in a row for first time under Pep Guardiola

There is always a first time for everything, Pep Guardiola announced afterwards, and this was one such night for the all-conquering coach from Catalonia: the occasion of his fourth straight defeat as a manager.

English football now waits to see if Guardiola and his players can rescue the season with the kind of thunderous response his team produced last time around after a December wobble. “It’s not eternal,” Guardiola declared of the modern City’s iron grip on English football, although one never knows with this man and this team. First of all there were plenty of injuries, albeit in a squad that is getting older in some of its key positions and leading figures.

In the background, one senses the weight of the epic legal battle with the Premier League and the decision that looms over Guardiola’s contract extension although, in the meantime, he presented afterwards as a man who believes in the mission.

Guardiola said that with a few exceptions in the last four games, including a flat second half on this occasion, the high performance level of his team was still there. He said that if his players were to lose their Premier League title they would do so fighting. There is unlikely to be many more performances as exhausted as this one. The international break for City is the welcome bell at the end of a punishing round.

They were without four first-choice central defenders in different fitness battles, culminating with Manuel Akanji failing to come through training the previous day. In their stead was the 19-year-old Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, who was impressive in much that he did, and Josko Gvardiol, 22, the senior man. Neither of them was helped by the presence of a half-fit Kyle Walker at right-back who had a tough afternoon, first from Kaoru Mitoma and then the match-winner João Pedro.

The Brazilian came on as a second-half substitute to score the first goal and make the second for another substitute, Matt O’Riley, on his Premier League debut. João Pedro epitomised the growing confidence of an outstanding Brighton team who came good in the second half with manager Fabian Hürzeler’s bold substitutions. There was another splendid Danny Welbeck performance and Guardiola left the pitch berating the Dutch centre-half Jan Paul van Hecke.

The City manager spent the moments after the game engaged in one of those intense post-match discussions with a bewildered Van Hecke. Guardiola would later explain that the defender had gone down too easily having spent the evening kicking Erling Haaland, City’s first-half goalscorer.

The two defeats in the Premier League, and against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League and Tottenham previously in the Carabao Cup, have all come on the road. The Etihad record remains intact. Even so, the visit of Tottenham Hotspur in two weeks’ time now assumes a significance beyond most City home games. Guardiola said that the rest of the world wanted the end of the City era, but his players would fight to carry on.

“I would like all the squad to fight,” he said, “and if somebody does it [wins the Premier League], okay, congratulations. [But] Not somebody winning it because we’ve given it away. I don’t want that feeling that we are not there [in terms of effort] and we cannot do it.”

He cited Liverpool’s decline in the post title-winning season under Jurgen Klopp and even mentioned the possibility of the Europa League – which has not been the kind of talk around City for about a decade.

Yet in the next breath, Guardiola was listing his injuries, and it is a considerable number: Rodri, John Stones, Rúben Dias, Nathan Ake, Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish, Akanji. He made the comparison with Virgil van Dijk’s October 2020 cruciate ligament injury as a game-changer for Liverpool and one suspects he had Rodri in mind.

It was a remarkable night for O’Riley, a London-born Fulham academy graduate and Denmark international who was injured on his Brighton debut and underwent surgery this season. Long tracked by Premier League clubs in his time at Celtic, the midfielder showed great composure to take his chance when João Pedro played him in. The Brazilian had outrun Walker in the build-up to his own goal, stabbed in from close range when Gvardiol and Rico Lewis hesitated.

City’s first-half goal was vintage Haaland. Mateo Kovacic’s early ball and the striker bursting between both Van Hecke and Pervis Estupiñán and then hitting a shot Bart Verbruggen did well to get something on. It was not enough to prevent Haaland forcing the ball over the line for his 75th Premier League goal in his 77th appearance in the competition.

City should have had more in the first half and then Brighton went up a gear after the break. It was notable that the players whom Guardiola introduced as he sought to close the game out were two of his greatest: Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva. There was a hectic reorganisation in the wake of João Pedro’s first run off Walker that prompted a fine save from Ederson and then Brighton’s energy was too much for City. The chances had begun to stack up for the home team by then and at last they took them.

08:22 PM GMT

Kyle Walker: ‘We need to show character’

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Manchester City defender said:

On Brighton’s performance:

On Manchester City’s current form:

On key injuries in the squad:

08:11 PM GMT

Fabian Hurzeler: ‘It is so important to stay humble’

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Brighton manager said:

On his changes at half-time:

On his squad depth:

On competing with Guardiola and Manchester City:

07:52 PM GMT

Liverpool up next

As mentioned, Liverpool can now go five points clear if they can take three points against Aston Villa with kick-off less than ten minutes away.

As we continue to bring you reaction to the Brighton win, follow detailed updates of the Liverpool clash here.

07:49 PM GMT

More from Pedro

Discussing matchwinner Matt O’Riley, Joao Pedro told Sky Sports: “Very good to help the new players. His first game he got injured and I got close to him because I was injured also.

07:47 PM GMT

Joao Pedro: ‘I know I’m an important player’

Speaking to Sky Sports, Brighton forward Joao Pedro said:

Discussing his goal, he said:

07:46 PM GMT

Where this leaves City

Following this defeat, Manchester City have presented Liverpool the chance to go five points clear at the summit of the Premier League table if they beat Aston Villa in this evening’s tie kicking off at 8pm.

A win tomorrow for Nottingham Forest against Newcastle will take them within one point of the champions while a win for either Chelsea or Arsenal in their clash at Stamford Bridge will take them within two of Guardiola’s men.

Meanwhile, Brighton have now climbed into the top four on 19 points, just four points behind City.

07:42 PM GMT

It doesn’t get much easier

Following the international break Manchester City have a run of eight games which includes ties with Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Juventus, Manchester United and Aston Villa.

Their injury situation may have improved for the first of those on 23 November but there will be some serious pressure mounting on Guardiola’s side following this run of results.

07:40 PM GMT

Redknapp: ‘One of the worst halves from a Guardiola side’

Speaking on Sky Sports, Jamie Redknapp said: “That is one of the worst halves of football I’ve seen from a Pep Guardiola side.

“They were abject, they didn’t defend, they didn’t win individual battles and they didn’t pass the ball forward at times.

“First half they were excellent but second half when Hurzeler made the subs, there was only one team that was going to win it.”

07:38 PM GMT

Guardiola in intense conversation with Van Hecke

Pep Guardiola had another one of his post-match conservations with an opposition, this time with Jan Paul van Hecke.

It was hard to tell if it was complimentary or heated but nevertheless it ended in a handshake.

Emotions are clearly running high for the City boss after losing four in a row for the first time in his managerial career.

07:35 PM GMT

City’s losing streak

Manchester City’s four defeats in their last four games:

• 2-1 vs Tottenham in League Cup

• 2-1 vs Bournemouth in Premier League

• 4-1 vs Sporting in Champions League

• 2-1 vs Brighton in Premier League

07:30 PM GMT

Full time: Brighton 2 Manchester City 1

That was virtually the last action of the game as the referee blows the whistle and Manchester City have lost four consecutive games in all competitions for the first time under Pep Guardiola.

Erling Haaland had opened the scoring for the champions in the opening period but goals from substitutes Joao Pedro and Matt O’Riley in the space of five minutes turned the game on its head.

07:29 PM GMT

90+9 mins: Brighton 2 Manchester City 1

Silva wins the free-kick with about five Brighton players around him. As De Bruyne tries to slide Lewis in, Veltman makes the interception before lashing it clear.

Nunes is down now following a challenge on the edge of the box. He hobbles to his feet and is going to have to carry on. De Bruyne plays a dangerous cross into the box that is half-cleared before Silva’s header loops into the arms of Verburggen.

Haaland and Van Hecke are booked following a scuffel after Verbruggen had claimed it.

07:25 PM GMT

90+7 mins: Brighton 2 Manchester City 1

Walker plays a really dangerous ball from the right into the box and it finds the head of a wandering Gvardiol but he gets too much contact on his header that goes wide of the right post.

07:24 PM GMT

90+5 mins: Brighton 2 Manchester City 1

Gvardiol plays a raking ball into the right channel for Nunes but Estupinian is quickly onto the first touch of the Portuguese midfielder before winning the foul. Soft to say the least.

It’s backs against the wall now for Brighton with all eleven players within 30 yards of the goal. Estupinian does superbly again to make the challenge but it’s quickly coming back.

07:21 PM GMT

90+2 mins: Brighton 2 Manchester City 1

Brighton fans will be horrified to see the board go up to indicate nine minutes of added time. A large chunk of that coming from the stoppage in play to sort the officials’ communication system.

Foden is found in the left of the box and shifts it onto his left foot before looking to find the bottom right corner but his effort goes just wide.

07:19 PM GMT

90 mins: Brighton 2 Manchester City 1

Foden goes on a driving run into the box but Veltman and Van Hecke combine to shephered the City man off the ball and clear. A ball comes into the box towards Haaland but Igor gets up so well to head clear.

De Bruyne is given space on the edge of the box but his right-footed effort goes wide of the near left post. You would expect him to test the keeper from there. Mitoma is being replaced by Moder for the hosts.

07:15 PM GMT

85 mins: Brighton 2-1 Manchester City

What a fabulous turnaround from the hosts and all credit has to go to Hurzeler for some inspired substitutions with Pedro scoring the first before setting up O’Riley for the second.

Manchester City are now staring down the barrel of four consecutive defeats in all competitions for the first time under Guardiola, who has never lost four matches in a row as a manager.

07:13 PM GMT

GOAL! O’Riley gives Brighton the lead

Brighton 2-1 Manchester City (O’Riley) Baleba plays an incsive through-ball to the feet of Welbeck who sets it back to Pedro on the edge of the box. The scorer of the first goal turns provider as he slips through O’Riley behind the City defence and he takes a touch before tucking home to score a massive goal on his Premier League debut.

07:09 PM GMT

GOAL! Joao Pedro equalises

Brighton 1-1 Manchester City (Pedro) The ball is pinged out by Van Hecke to Mitoma on the left. His first ball into the box is cut out but he latches onto it and squares it back across. After an almighty scramble on the edge of the six-yard box involving Welbeck and a number of City defenders, Joao Pedro reacts well to pounce on the loose ball and tuck home.

07:07 PM GMT

78 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

A slick move from Brighton finishes with Pedro playing a clever through-ball to O’Riley in the left of the box but his ball across the face of the goal can’t find the head of a Brighton attacker and Gvardiol does well to clear.

Simpson-Pusey picks up a yellow card for City potentially for a late foul on Welbeck.

07:03 PM GMT

74 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

There is a brief break in play as the officials have a communication issue that needs sorting out. Guardiola uses the pause in play to replace Gundogan with Silva.

Eventually, to ironic jeers, play resumes and it’s Brighton on the front foot once again. Foden does well to take the sting out of things as he wins the foul from Baleba.

Another City change as Kevin De Bruyne replaces Savinho.

07:00 PM GMT

71 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

Mitoma cuts in and floats in a dangerous inswinging cross. No City defender can get a head to it and it runs all the way through to Welbeck but he wasn’t expecting it and his control lets him down.

Brighton are really pushing now as Mitoma is played in on goal but Ederson is out well to smother the winger. Just moments later and Pedro finds himself in a similar position in the left of the box and he can get it under control but his left-footed effort drags wide of the right post. He perhaps needed to go with his right foot on that one.

Chances are coming for Brighton though!

06:57 PM GMT

More goals in this

Fabian Hurzeler is calling for Joao Pedro from the bench. Brajan Gruda coming on too. Brighton haven’t recreated the momentum of the first half. That said, some of their passing out from behind the City press has been excellent. Feels like more goals in this.

The big Brighton chance fell to Jack Hinshelwood. He headed straight at Ederson. The Brighton man has since come off injured and looked distraught about it.

06:56 PM GMT

67 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

Mitoma gets past Walker with a lovely spin inside before feeding the overlapping Estupinian. The full back puts in another lovely ball but Rutter heads over.

That was the forward’s last involvement as he is replaced by Gruda while Adingra is also taken off in place of the returning Pedro. That will be a wonderful sight for the home fans to see the Brazilian back on the field.

06:52 PM GMT

63 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

Following a scrappy couple of minutes, City begin to establish a degree of control again with Kovacic pulling the strings in midfield.

Eventually City up the pace and after being fed into the box by Foden, Savinho cuts in onto his left foot and looks to curl one into the far corner but it doesn’t have the necessary whip on it and goes wide of the left post.

06:48 PM GMT

58 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

Haaland is slipped into the left of the box and plays a dangerous ball across the six-yard box but Igor does superbly to clear over his own bar on the slide before Savinho can tap home.

Hinshelwood, who has been struggling for a few minutes following a collision with Lewis, eventually has to make way and is replaced by Matt O’Riley, who is making his Premier League debut after signing from Celtic.

06:45 PM GMT

56 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

Haaland picks it up on the half turn and unleashes a powerful effort from the edge of the box but it’s blocked by Van Hecke. There are huge appeals from City players for a handball but the referee waves play on.

Veltman gets away with one as he thinks a ball in behind has enough place on it but Gundogan keeps it in play but his ball across is gathered by Verbruggen.

06:42 PM GMT

53 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

Igor, who picked up a booking at the end of the first half, is given a talking to by the referee and has to be careful now.

Brighton muster their best chance of the match as Estupinian pings in a delightful cross from the left. Hinshelwood rises highest but his header is too close to Ederson, who still does well to react and parry away.

06:40 PM GMT

51 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

It’s the home side who enjoy more of the ball early on in the second period. After a good spell of pressure in and around the City area, Adingra looks to have been chopped down by Nunes on the edge of the box but the referee waves play on.

Replays confirm that was a harsh one from Sam Barrott. Moments later though and the winger floats a delightful ball to Mitoma at the back post but he doesn’t realise how much time he has and heads it first time straight into the arms of Ederson.

06:36 PM GMT

46 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

The hosts get us underway for the second period kicking from right to left. Can they continue their momentum from the final ten minutes of the opening half and get themselves back in this one?

06:34 PM GMT

Half-time change for Brighton

Fabein Hurzeler has just confirmed on Sky Sports that he is bringing on Carlos Baleba for Yasin Ayari who was booked in the first half.

He said that he wants to see more courage from his team.

06:33 PM GMT

Dominant City

In terms of statistics Manchester City have dominated in all aspects. They have enjoyed 67% of the ball and have had nine shots to Brighton’s. Five of those have been on target while the hosts a yet to register an effort on goal.

06:31 PM GMT

City wary of slow start to second period

Manchester City will be looking to ensure the start of the second half follows a different pattern to their midweek tie against Sporting.

After going into the break at 1-1, Guardiola’s men found themselves 3-1 down just four minutes into the second period.

06:28 PM GMT

Elsewhere today in the Premier League

Here are the results from the Premier League so far today:

• Brentford 3-2 Bournemouth

• Crystal Palace 0-2 Fulham

• West Ham 0-0 Everton

• Wolves 2-0 Southampton

06:21 PM GMT

Haaland continuing to break records

06:19 PM GMT

Half-time: City dominant but Brighton grew into the game

City have looked in control for most of it but Brighton have come strong at the end of the first half. City susceptible to the very direct ball through the inside left channel and the home side seem to fancy Kaoru Mitoma’s chances against Kyle Walker.

That said, City have made some inroads with the pace of Savinho on their right. When City go forward they look excellent. But there are some doubts at the back, Josko Gvardiol and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey is a relatively inexperienced central defensive pairing.

Erling Haaland’s goal was one of their most direct moves - a quick ball from Mateo Kovacic. Brighton seemed to have a case for a penalty when Danny Welbeck’s shot struck Gvardiol’s hand as he slid in to block. Could have gone either way.

06:18 PM GMT

Half-time: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

Brighton think they have a late corner but the flag goes up and that is the last action of this opening period.

06:17 PM GMT

45+2 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

There will be two minutes of added time to conclude this opening period. Ederson looks long for Haaland who does well to bring Foden into play but his ball in behind is asking too much of Savinho.

06:15 PM GMT

45 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

City manage to beat the press really effectively and it all came from a sublime turn by City’s young centre back Simpson-Pusey when under pretty immense pressure.

The move breaks down as Igor brings down Haaland and the defender picks up a yellow, perhaps for his protests more than the foul itself.

06:12 PM GMT

42 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

Brighton look for Mitoma over the top once again but in typical Ederson fashion the City keeper is quickly out of his box to sweep up.

Brighton are starting to assert themselves now though as a nice move results in Mitoma being fed into the box once again but his squared ball across the box is cleared by an off-balance Lewis.

06:09 PM GMT

39 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

Lewis gives it away on the edge of the box and as Welbeck latches onto the loose ball, the City youngster sticks a leg out to bring the forward down and he picks up City’s first booking of the game.

From the resulting free-kick, Welbeck’s curling effort whistles just wide of the right post. That really wasn’t far away.

06:07 PM GMT

36 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

After a rare Brighton attack, City counter well as it’s pinged up to Haaland. He does superbly to hold it up before feeding Nunes on his inside. He plays it on one more to Foden in the left of the box but his effort is blocked and behind for a corner that comes to nothing.

Huge chance to equalise for Brighton. Mitoma is found over the top on the left wing. He squares it to Welbeck on the edge of the box and he bursts into the area before looking to slot home but his effort is blocked crucially by the sliding Gvardiol. There are appeals from Welbeck that it struck the Croatian’s arm but no doing.

06:03 PM GMT

31 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

City have really established a grip of proceedings now with Brighton camped well in their own half and the visiting midfield enjoying plenty of tidy touches.

The ball drops to Kovacic on the edge of the box towards the right side of the pitch and he unleashes a powerful volley but it’s straight at the keeper who can parry away.

05:59 PM GMT

Classic Haaland goal

Classic Erling Haaland goal, two different defenders’ hands on his shoulders at different times and he just blasts his way through. The quick turnover from Mateo Kovacic made the chance. It is what Brighton have been trying to do to City - thus far without success.

05:58 PM GMT

28 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 1

Haaland nearly doubles his lead immediately! As Foden picks it up on the edge of the box, he pings one in into the feet of Haaland on the right of the box. He takes the defender on the outside as he shifts it onto his right foot but his low effort is well-saved by Verbruggen.

From the resulting corner the keeper makes a brave call to try and punch clear but Haaland gets his head their first. Fortunately for Verbruggen the header goes over.

05:55 PM GMT

GOAL! Haaland breaks the deadlock

Brighton 0 Manchester City 1 (Haaland) Kovacic skips past his man before sliding Haaland in on goal. Verbruggen gets something on the striker’s initial effort to slot home but Haaland reacts well to poke home despite pressure from Van Hecke. It’s not completely clear who got the final touch but it’s given to Haaland for now.

05:52 PM GMT

22 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 0

City slow the game down as they knock it around their defence with Brighton happy to sit in their shape in within their own half.

Eventually City look for Savinho down the right once again but Igor covers well and wins the free-kick as he gets his body between man and ball.

05:49 PM GMT

19 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 0

City have a free-kick in an attacking position down their left. Foden puts in a teasing ball behind the high defensive line but Haaland can’t control his right-footed effort on the stretch and it doesn’t really threaten. That was the striker’s first real involvement.

Ayari hauls back Foden after some tidy close control by the England man and picks up the first yellow card of the match.

05:47 PM GMT

Solid start from City

City have started in a pretty solid fashion for a team that has lost three in a row. Rico Lewis is the inverted full-back in midfield when the team is in possession. For the most part they have looked quite calm under Brighton’s press. The home team are looking for quick turnovers and fast counterattacks. They are dangerous in that regard.

05:47 PM GMT

17 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 0

So close to the opener for City Kovacicic slides Savinho into the right of the box. He looks to poke a left footed effort past the onrushing Verbruggen but the keeper does excellently to get down and turn the effort behind for a corner with an outstretched leg.

05:45 PM GMT

15 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 0

Savinho, down City’s right, looks to curl a cross in with the outside of his left foot. He doesn’t get the desired connection so much so that it nearly creeps in the far corner but it just drifts over.

It’s another nice move Brighton as Mitoma looks to slide in Rutter before the ball drops back to the Japan international but he skews his effort wide. Once again though, the flag was up.

05:43 PM GMT

13 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 0

It’s a really sloppy pass from Verbruggen that is cut out by Nunes on the edge of the box but he can’t bring it under his control and Van Hecke can clear the danger.

Veltman plays a clever ball over the top for Ayari but Ederson is quickly out of his area to sweep up. The flag was up anyway but a promising move nevertheless from the home side.

05:40 PM GMT

10 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 0

Gvardiol goes through the back of Rutter pretty robustly but it’s just a foul and no card. The City man would have perhaps been less fortunate if the game was not in the opening ten minutes.

A promising move from Brighton down their right is stifled by Lewis before Kovacic does well to beat the press and free City on their right. Savinho beats Estupinian with ease on the outside but his cross is headed clear.

05:37 PM GMT

7 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 0

It’s been a bright start from either side showing signs of confidence and knocking the ball about nicely but it’s City who are shading possession early on.

Kovacic looks for Savinho over the top but there is too much weight on his pass and it runs on through to Verbruggen.

05:34 PM GMT

3 mins: Brighton 0 Manchester City 0

Nunes has some early space down City’s left flank but Adingra gets back in well to support Veltman and cut out the midfielder’s pass inside the box.

Lewis looks to be joining Kovacic to make a two-man midfield pivot while Walker and Gvardiol are either side of Simpson-Pusey in a back-three when City have the ball.

05:30 PM GMT

1 min: Brighton 0 Manchester City 0

Following a minute’s silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday, Manchester City and Gundogan get us underway kicking off from right to left.

Sam Barrott is the man in the middle.

05:25 PM GMT

Five minutes until kick-off

We are just five minutes away from kick-off here at the Amex Stadium. Can Manchester City avoid four successive defeats or will Brighton climb into the top four with another big win? The action begins shortly.

05:21 PM GMT

City looking to avoid four successive defeats

Manchester are looking to avoid four successive defeats in all competitions for the first time since a period between April and August 2006 under Stuart Pearce, while Pep Guardiola is looking to avoid being on the end that same run for the first time in his managerial career.

05:15 PM GMT

Key men not firing

Manchester City’s dip in form has coincided with the goals drying up for Erling Haaland.

The Norway international has netted only one goal in his last five Premier League appearances after scoring ten in the opening five matches of this campaign.

Meanwhile, Phil Foden, who scored 19 Premier League goals last season, is yet to score in seven league outings this season.

This marks his longest drought since going 15 games without a league goal between May 2019 and March 2020.

05:10 PM GMT

Can Brighton continue their strong start?

Brighton’s tally of 16 points is their second highest after 10 Premier League matches. They had recorded 17 by this stage of last season.

They will hope to sustain these levels into the new year though, after a poor second half of the campaign under Roberto de Zerbi last time out left them 43 points adrift of the summit having been just 12 points behind leaders Liverpool at the halfway stage.

05:04 PM GMT

Guardiola on recent defeats

Discussing Manchester City’s recent wobbles, Pep Guardiola said: “20 minutes against Fulham were not good and against Bournemouth we were not good, but the rest of the games we were good. We are good. We will see what happens.”

“We know the reason why we struggle but we are looking forward to this game and, after the international break, a few players will be back and recovered. All the little problems we have with players will be solved. I hope.”

Discussing Brighton and their boss Fabian Hurzeler: “I’m really impressed with the way they play. They had to make a lot of signings and he is doing an incredible job.

“They were outstanding against Liverpool but didn’t get the result. They played really good. They always have been tough away or at home, since Graham Potter, and this will be no exception.”

05:00 PM GMT

Chance to go top... for now

With Liverpool in action later on this evening as they host Aston Villa, Manchester City’s clash with Brighton presents the chance for the champions to go top, even for just a matter of hours.

Pep Guardiola’s side are currently two points behind the leaders and will be wary that defeat would allow Liverpool to establish a five-point lead heading into the third international break of the campaign.

It would also present the chance for Nottingham Forest to go within one point as they host Newcastle United on Sunday and Chelsea or Arsenal to go within two as they meet at Stamford Bridge.

04:55 PM GMT

No Grealish despite England inclusion

No Jack Grealish in the City matchday squad. Suggests that Pep Guardiola is making his point to Lee Carsley about the fitness of the mercurial winger. Guardiola was not happy with Carsley’s assertion on Thursday that Grealish was back training and fit for selection.

Carsley did say there were a number of his England squad for next week, including Grealish, who were major doubts. At least Carsley will leave the interim role having had one good old-fashioned club-v-country row with a famous Premier League manager.

04:53 PM GMT

City’s defensive vulnerability on the counter

Conceding early hasn’t been the only theme of the goals shipped by Manchester City so far this season. Opposition sides are finding success in sitting in deep and punishing City on the counter-attack and in transition.

In previous campaigns, Kyle Walker and Rodri have been two of City’s most effective tools in stifling these types of goals through the full-back’s pace in recovery and the Spaniard’s reading of the game and defensive presence in midfield.

But with Rodri out for the season and Pep Guardiola using Walker far less this time around, with the City captain appearing to have potentially lost a yard, City suddenly look far more vulnerable in these moments of transition.

They have conceded over 50 per cent more goals than at this stage of last season while their tally of two clean sheets is their lowest after 10 matches of a campaign since Guardiola’s first season in charge in 2016-17.

However, with Brighton notoriously deploying a high line for much of this season, both the defence and attack of City may be relieved this evening to find an opposition side not sitting in a low block, ready to pounce on the break.

04:47 PM GMT

Champions in town

04:42 PM GMT

Brighton squandering leads while City recovering deficits

Brighton have dropped 10 points from winning positions this season with their only two defeats, against Chelsea and Liverpool, coming after taking the lead.

Their most recent home tie in the Premier League saw them blow a 2-0 lead, which they held until the 88th minute, to ultimately draw against winless Wolves.

Meanwhile, Manchester City have recovered a league-high 13 points from losing positions this season.

And despite conceding the opening goal in five of their ten Premier League fixtures this campaign, the defeat at Bournemouth was the only one of those five matches they did not come back to win.

So if you’re a Brighton fan, I think the advice would be to not get too carried away with an early goal.

04:36 PM GMT

‘We shouldn’t be afraid of anyone’: Hurzeler on challenge of champions

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler is relishing the challenges of playing the Premier League’s top sides.

“I don’t want to be recognised or seen as the small Brighton and Hove Albion,” said Hurzeler before today’s game against champions Manchester City.

“It’s more that we have a big potential in our squad. We have a great leadership in the club. We have great staff members. We have a good atmosphere, a good environment.

“In football, it’s about achieving things and that’s why we shouldn’t hide. We shouldn’t be afraid of anyone.

“We should play with self-confidence and we should also put pressure on ourselves because in the end we want to achieve something and if we don’t achieve the victories in the games we have failed and that’s the truth. That’s why we have to also be hard on ourselves and demand the best from ourselves.

“These games, like City and Liverpool, are the best challenges for us.”

04:30 PM GMT

Injury news

Matt O’Riley could make his Premier League debut for Brighton following his summer move from Celtic.

The midfielder suffered a serious ankle injury just nine minutes into his first game for the club in an EFL Cup fixture in August.

Fabian Hurzeler’s side also see Joao Pedro return to the squad with the forward last appearing against Nottingham Forest in September.

Yasin Ayari starts despite being forced off in last weekend’s defeat at Liverpool but this evening’s tie comes too soon for Lewis Dunk and Yankuba Minteh.

Ferdi Kadioglu, who scored Brighton’s solitary goal at Anfield doesn’t make the squad.

Doku isn’t in the squad for Manchester City but fellow Belgian Kevin de Bruyne could feature in the Premier League for the first time since September after making a late substitute appearance against Sporting in the week.

John Stones will miss a third game due to a foot injury, while Ruben Dias, Oscar Bobb and Jack Grealish are still sidelined.

04:26 PM GMT

Those line-ups in full

Brighton: Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Igor, Estupinian; Adingra, Hinshelwood, Ayari, Mitoma; Rutter, Welbeck.

Subs: Pedro, Baleba, Enciso, Ferguson, Gruda, O’Riley, Moder, Steele, Wieffer

Manchester City: Ederson; Lewis, Walker, Simpson-Pusey, Gvardiol; Kovacic; Savinho, Foden, Gundogan, Nunes; Haaland.

Subs: Ake, De Bruyne, Silva, McAtee, O’Reilly, Ortega, Akanji, Wilson-Esbrand, Wright.

04:20 PM GMT

Guardiola makes two changes

There are two changes to the Manchester City side that were thumped 4-1 against Sporting in midweek as Pep Guardiola brings in Kyle Walker and Ilkay Gundogan to replace Manuel Akanji and Bernardo Silva.

04:18 PM GMT

One change for Brighton

Fabian Hurzeler makes one change to the side that lost 2-1 away to Liverpool last weekend as Simon Adingra comes into the side for Ferdi Kadioglu.

04:16 PM GMT

Preview: City looking to avoid fourth straight defeat

Good afternoon and welcome to live coverage of Brighton and Hove Albion vs Manchester City from the Premier League as Pep Guardiola looks to avoid four consecutive defeats in all competitions for the first time as a manager.

Victor Gyokeres scored a hat-trick as Sporting thumped City in the Uefa Champions League on Tuesday in Ruben Amorim’s final home game in charge before making his move to the red half of Manchester.

This was City’s third defeat in the space of seven days after being knocked out of the League Cup by Tottenham Hotspur before seeing their 32-match unbeaten run in the Premier League come to an end in a 2-1 defeat away against Bournemouth.

There are certainly reasons for concern for Guardiola with the recent string of losses coming after a period of less-than-convincing performances in the league following Rodri’s ACL injury against Arsenal in September.

Despite a run of three wins against Fulham, Wolves and Southampton, each victory was by a margin of just one goal, while Fulham mustered a greater xG than the champions at the Etihad and a 95th-minute John Stones header was needed to snatch the three points at Molineux.

With the sides above Brighton coming into this weekend yet to play, this evening’s clash presents an opportunity for Fabian Hurzeler’s side to climb level on points with Nottingham Forest in third.

To do so, Brighton will need to find their first win in four matches in all competitions, with back-to-back defeats against Liverpool in the League Cup and Premier League following a 2-2 draw against Wolves.

Mats Wieffer will still be having nightmares about the latter after his unforgivable pass, which squandered a four-on-one situation, led to Wolves scoring a 93rd-minute equaliser after the home side had been 2-0 up until the 88th minute.

Nonetheless the south-coast side will take confidence from their overall home record having avoided defeat in their opening five league fixtures at the Amex Stadium this season.