Manchester City vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Following a grueling week on the road, Manchester City will return home to the Etihad this Saturday. The defending Premier League champions were originally scheduled to face table leaders Arsenal next, but it was postponed following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
Instead, they’ll host Brighton, which may be what the doctor ordered. The Sky Blues are on a winless run, so facing the struggling Seagulls should help them get back on track.
Manchester City are currently second in the Premier League table with 23 points, which is where Brighton used to be when they were still coached by Graham Potter. Since Potter moved to Chelsea, the Seagulls have fallen to eight place with 15 points.
This should be another fun encounter to look forward to, so read on below as SBOTOP previews this game.
Talking Points
Manchester City will bounce back
Manchester City were on a winning run up until they were held to a goalless draw by Copenhagen in the Champions League group stage and were beaten by Liverpool on Sunday.
The Sky Blues were at a numbers disadvantage against Copenhagen after Sergio Gomez was sent off in the half-hour mark. They did have some great chances but they were simply unlucky in that match.
Rodri’s superb 25-yard effort was ruled out as Riyad Mahrez was penalized for handball. And then Mahrez himself missed the opportunity to put Manchester City ahead when his spot-kick was brilliantly saved by Copenhagen goalkeeper Kamil Grabara.
They could have used Erling Haaland, but Pep Guardiola decided to give him the day off with the game against Liverpool coming up a few days later.
Against the Reds, the Sky Blues left Anfield empty-handed as Mohamed Salah fired the hosts through for the 1-0 win. Haaland, for once, was not on the scoresheet and a Phil Foden goal was ruled out by the VAR – much to the dismay of Pep Guardiola.
Erling Haaland’s form in the final third will once again be a key factor for Manchester City and we expect him to return to the Premier League 2022 highlights reel since Brighton have only secured one clean sheet in their last six matches.
Tough start for De Zerbi at Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton fans should manage their expectations on Roberto De Zerbi since this is his first stint here in the Premier League and he’s still adjusting.
The former Sassuolo boss has only picked up two points in his first four league games in charge, who was appointed last month to replace Chelsea-bound Graham Potter.
His Seagulls secured an impressive 3-3 draw against the Reds in his first Premier League match as leading scorer Leandro Trossard basically carried the team on his back with his hat-trick.
But after that result, the Seagulls suffered back-to-back defeats against Spurs and Brentford, and then they were held to a goalless draw against Nottingham Forest yesterday. Since their trip to Anfield, they have failed to convert from 54 total shots in those three games.
The lack of a cutting edge in the final third has been a problem for the Seagulls even when Graham Potter was still there and it has resurfaced once again.
Leandro Trossard is doing all he can with his five goals, but Alexis Mac Allister, and Pascal Groß haven’t scored in a while, and Danny Welbeck is their only legitimate striker.
It doesn’t get any easier for Brighton as after their match against Manchester City, they’ll have Chelsea, Wolves, and Arsenal on the menu for their next three games – which will certainly provide De Zerbi and co. a huge learning experience.
History
Manchester City defeated Brighton in their previous meeting last April via a 3-0 scoreline at the Etihad as Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, and Bernardo Silva all found the back of the net after a goalless first half.
The Sky Blues have never lost a home league game against the Seagulls in 12 previous meetings (W10, D2).
Brighton have lost nine of their last 10 Premier League games against Manchester City, with the exception being their 3-2 home win in May 2021.
Betting Tip
The Premier League 2022 odds are backing Manchester City since they’re priced at 1.19 to win, while Brighton are the underdogs at 11.50 and chances for a draw are at 6.00 in the 1X2 market.
It’s virtually impossible to keep Manchester City scoreless in three straight matches. So unfortunately for Roberto De Zerbi, he may have to wait a little bit longer for his first win as Seagulls manager.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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