Semenyo remains out as Manchester City host third-placed Brighton three days after the cup
League leaders Manchester City meet third-placed Brighton at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, three days after the clubs play a Carabao Cup fourth-round tie on the same ground. Antoine Semenyo is still missing with the non-muscular injury Enzo Maresca has put at about eight weeks, while Brighton are carrying a long absentee list and two hip injuries from Anfield.
Saturday's Premier League meeting at the Etihad is the second encounter between the teams in four days, following their scheduled Carabao Cup fourth-round tie on Wednesday. City enter the league fixture after their first Premier League defeat of the season at Aston Villa, while Brighton's eight-match unbeaten run ended with defeat at Liverpool.
A Manchester City victory is the stronger reading, with enough in both attacks for each side to score and for the match to produce at least three goals.
Antoine Semenyo remains out after Enzo Maresca said his non-muscular injury could keep him sidelined for around eight weeks, with a possible return in December. Matheus Nunes was left out against Villa and is not in City's squad for Wednesday's cup tie, so his availability for Saturday remains unconfirmed. Erling Haaland, Elliot Anderson, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Joško Gvardiol and Rúben Dias were given three days off after Villa and are also absent from the cup squad. Brighton have Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer back in the squad after injury absences, while Ferdi Kadıoğlu and Chema Andrés were being assessed after hip injuries at Liverpool; their availability for Saturday remains unconfirmed.
After matchweek eight, City lead the table on 21 points from eight matches, level with Arsenal and ahead on goal difference. Brighton are third on 16 points, with 23 goals scored and a goal difference of plus 16. City's latest league match was a 2–1 defeat at Aston Villa, while Brighton lost 2–0 at Liverpool. Manchester City says the Ipswich victory made Maresca the first manager to win his first seven Premier League matches in charge of a club.
The last six league meetings were Manchester City 1–1 Brighton on 7 January 2026, Brighton 2–1 Manchester City on 31 August 2025, Manchester City 2–2 Brighton on 15 March 2025, Brighton 2–1 Manchester City on 9 November 2024, Brighton 0–4 Manchester City on 25 April 2024 and Manchester City 2–1 Brighton on 21 October 2023. Brighton are unbeaten in the latest four meetings.
