Ederson returns as City make four changes

Manchester City F.C.

·13 January 2021

City make four changes from the side that started against Birmingham on Sunday afternoon.

Ederson returns in goal, along with Oleks Zinchenko, John Stones and Ilkay Gundogan.

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Making way are Zack Steffen, Benjamin Mendy, Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus, who all drop to the bench.

Raheem Sterling and Ferran Torres return as subs.

City: Ederson, Cancelo, Zinchenko. Dias, Stones, Rodrigo, Gundogan, De Bruyne (c), Bernardo, Mahrez, Foden

Subs: Steffen, Walker, Sterling, Jesus, Torres, Mendy, Fernandinho, Harwood-Bellis, Mbete

Brighton: Sanchez, Webster, Dunk, Burn, Veltman, White, Propper, Bernardo, Tau, Mac Allister, Trossard

Subs: Maupay, Gross, March, Zeqiri, Walton, Sanders, Khadra, Jenks, Weir

Anybody watching City’s recent games will know predicting a formation is difficult.

While the back four takes care of itself, Rodrigo, Gundogan and De Bruyne are likely to make up the midfield trio.

But as De Bruyne featured as a false nine recently, nothing is guaranteed.

Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo will provide a fluid and interchangeable front three – at least that how it looks on paper!

City could go as high as third this evening with a victory over Brighton.

Tottenham are also in action and on the same points as City, but with a superior goal difference.

Manchester United lead the Premier League with 36 points, three clear of Liverpool who are second.

City would climb above Everton and Leicester with a victory and should Spurs drop points, move just behind Liverpool.

But Brighton will be tricky opposition, despite their lowly position in the table.

Pep Guardiola is a great admirer of Seagulls boss Graham Potter and enjoys the way Brighton approach the game.

Far from being a side who will flood their own box with bodies, Brighton are likely to give as good as they get and try and attack City.

City have won all six Premier League meetings, scoring 20 goals, conceding just twice.
Brighton have never won a league match away to City (D2, L8).
City are unbeaten in seven top-flight games, winning five of those matches - including each of the last three.
City did not win four consecutive Premier League fixtures last season until after they had relinquished the title, ending the campaign with five straight victories.
Only four Premier League teams have scored fewer second-half goals than City this season, with Pep Guardiola's side scoring 18 of their 24 goals in the first half.
City have conceded seven goals since the start of October, four fewer than any other Premier League side.
Ilkay Gundogan has three goals in City's past four league matches, following a run of 12 months and 21 games without a top-flight goal.
This will be Brighton's 300th top-flight fixture.
The Seagulls are winless in their past eight top-flight matches, a streak exceeded only by bottom side Sheffield United.
Brighton are without a victory in all 13 of their Premier League matches in January (D6, L7) and likewise in all nine matches played on a Wednesday (D5, L4).
Brighton have conceded eight Premier League goals from set-pieces this season (excluding penalties), the division's joint-second highest figure.
They have conceded nine own goals since promotion in 2017, more than any other top-flight side in that time.