Gundogan and Jesus start for City at Brighton | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola has made two changes from the side that beat Club Brugge on Tuesday for today’s Premier League game against Brighton at the Amex Stadium.

Ilkay Gundogan returns to the starting lineup and captains City, replacing Kevin De Bruyne, who drops to the bench.

And Gabriel Jesus is also back, with Riyad Mahrez making way for the Brazilian.

The rest of the side that dismantled the Belgian champions remains the same.

Raheem Sterling isn’t fully fit and hasn’t travelled, and Ferran Torres remains sidelined with a fractured right foot.

Cole Palmer once again gets a place on the bench after his goalscoring cameo in Belgium saw him become only the third teenager to score a Champions League goal for City. He is joined by fellow Academy starlet Sam Edozie.

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Teams

Brighton

XI: Sanchez, Cucurella, Dunk, Maupay, Trossard, Gross, Lallana, Moder, March, Burn, Veltman

Subs: Steele, Lamptey, Webster, Connolly, Bissouma, Mac Allister, Mwepu, Duffy, Richards

City

XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Bernardo, Grealish, Jesus, Foden

Subs: Steffen, Stones, Ake, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Mahrez, Edozie, Palmer

Tactics

As ever, it’s a fluid 4-3-3 formation for Pep Guardiola.

Ederson starts in goal. He played in Tuesday’s win over Club Brugge after missing last weekend’s Premier League win over Burnley. As ever, his distribution, both long and short, will be key to City’s build-up play.

Kyle Walker and Joao Cancelo will be tasked with adding numbers going forward from full-back. Walker will play close to the touchline on the right, providing an overlap for Gabriel Jesus, while Cancelo is often asked to step inside and numbers in central areas.

Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte start at centre-back and will look to continue their flourishing partnership.

Rodrigo will screen the back four, with Ilkay Gundogan’s guile and Bernardo Silva’s energy ahead of him. That's a midfield three possessing everything.

Jesus is likely to play from the right of our attacking trio, with Jack Grealish on the left and Phil Foden playing centrally as a False 9.

It’s a side full of invention, pace and attacking intent, as well as hard work and tactical understanding.

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Brighton, who sit fourth in the table, just two points behind City, have enjoyed a fine start to the season.

Their form has been built on their solid three-man defence, which has conceded just five Premier League goals thus far.

Tactical fluidity remains a huge strength, with Graham Potter’s side capable of making subtle adjustments during games they are struggling to gain control of.

Indeed, last season’s fixture, which saw Brighton come from behind t win in dramatic circumstances, was clear evidence of their ability to find solutions to problematic situations.

"Last season, we were Champions,” Pep Guardiola said on Friday. “We were preparing to play the Final of the Champions League. Now, we are fighting to be Champions - there is a big difference.

“I know exactly the game we're going to face and the players know.”

WATCH: Inside City: Palmer’s dream week and De Bruyne’s basketball skills

Match facts

Head-to-head

Brighton came from 2-0 down to beat Manchester City 3-2 in this fixture last season.

That win ended a run of seven straight defeats for the Seagulls against Pep Guardiola's side in the Premier League.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton are unbeaten in five Premier League fixtures, although they have drawn their last three in a row.

The Seagulls have been involved in 19 goalless draws since their promotion to the Premier League in 2017-18, the most of any team in the division in the same period.

No team in the Premier League has picked up more yellow cards this season than Brighton's 22.

Neal Maupay has scored four of the Seagulls' eight league goals this season - however, he's failed to register a single shot in his last three appearances against City.

Manchester City

Manchester City have lost two of their past five away fixtures in the Premier League (W2, D1).

City have kept six clean sheets in their opening eight Premier League games for the first time.

They haven't conceded in the first half of their last 10 league matches.

Pep Guardiola's side have had 11 different goalscorers in the Premier League this season - however, no player has scored more than twice.

WATCH: Guardiola hails ‘incredible’ City coaching staff