Man City Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Brighton

Man City Team News: Injuries, suspensions and line-up vs Brighton image

Manchester City open their Premier League campaign with a trip to newly-promoted Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday evening.

Pep Guardiola's side are early favourites to claim the top-tier title come the end of the season due to the magnitude of their spending over the summer transfer window to date. 

City have completed deals for Kyle Walker, Benjamin Mendy, Bernardo Silva, Danilo, and goalkeeper Ederson since the end of last season, adding to their already star-studded squad. 

Saturday's visitors to the Amex will be expected to start their campaign with three points as they look to better last season's finish of third.


MAN CITY INJURIES


Benjamin Mendy will play no part of the tie following his summer transfer from Monaco due to a thigh injury, meaning Walker and Danilo will start in the full-back positions.

Ilkay Gundogan has returned to first-team training but is set to miss the opening few weeks of the season.

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Benjamin Mendy France England


MAN CITY SUSPENSIONS


Manchester City have no suspensions coming into the Brighton fixture.

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MAN CITY POTENTIAL STARTING LINE-UP


Guardiola opted for a 3-5-2 formation during pre-season, with Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus starting together up front. 

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Mendy's injury at left-back means Danilo - traditionally a right-back - will fill in for the France international, with Walker on the other side of the pitch. Leroy Sane was tested in the left-wing back position during the friendly against West Ham, however, and provides another option should Guardiola look to attack Brighton's 36-year-old full-back Bruno. 

Vincent Kompany, John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi will make up a three-man backline, with Yaya Toure operating just in front, though City also have the option of reverting to a back four.

David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne will provide the ammunition to the front two, with Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Sane offering additional firepower from the bench.

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BRIGHTON TEAM NEWS


Former Valencia goalkeeper Mat Ryan will start in goal for the Seagulls, with Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy partnering in the centre of defence.

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Two central midfielders are set to make their official debuts for Brighton, with Pascal Gross arriving from Ingolstadt and Davy Propper from PSV. The pair are likely to start alongside Dale Stephens, with Gross at the head of the central trio in a 4-4-1-1 formation. 

Glenn Murray and Tomer Hemed will fight for the striker berth in Hughton's side, with Anthony Knockaert on the right, and either Solly March, Jiri Skalak or Chelsea loanee Izzy Brown on the other flank.

Beram Kayal will miss up to 12 weeks after fracturing his fibia, while Sam Baldock (calf) has also been ruled out. 


OPTA MATCH FACTS


  • The last league meeting between Brighton and Man City was a 2-1 home win for the south-coast side in April 1989, in the second tier of English football.
  • Chris Hughton has only won one of his seven opening day league matches as a manager, a 1-0 win for Brighton over Nottingham Forest in 2015 (D3 L3).
  • Manchester City have won each of their last six opening day contests in the Premier League, the best current run in the competition.
  • Sergio Aguero has five goals in six previous opening day matches for Manchester City.
  • The Amex Stadium will be the 56th different ground to host a Premier League match. Only one of the last eight teams debuting in the Premier League has lost their opening home match (Bournemouth in 2015).

TV COVERAGE & KICK-OFF TIME


Kick off is 17:30 BST with the game to be shown live on BT Sport 1 and streamed through BT Sport Live Streaming.