Manchester City vs Brighton prediction 31.10.2026 | Premier League

Manchester City enters this one on the back of a breathless penalty shootout victory over Brighton following a chaotic 2-2 midweek draw. The Cityzens are desperate to bounce back in the league after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa in their last top-flight outing.

Enzo Maresca’s men are currently leading the pack but have looked incredibly vulnerable, shipping eleven goals across their last five matches in all competitions.

Their home form at the Etihad Stadium remains a formidable weapon despite some defensive frailties as they have won all four league games this season. Erling Haaland remains their undisputed talisman up front, scoring nine goals in 8 Premier League games this season.

Defensively, they look shaky, though Maresca’s calculated decision to completely rest key stars like Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, and Haaland during the midweek cup clash means the heavy hitters are fully recharged.

Brighton prepares for this one on the back of a tough run after failing to win all their last three games across all competitions.

Despite the League Cup exit, the Seagulls are flying high under Fabian Hürzeler. The German manager's men have stunned the division by surging to third place in the Premier League table after picking up 16 points from eight games.

Their away form is a bit mixed, though. They recently suffered a tough 2-0 defeat at Anfield against Liverpool, but that came right after a massive 3-2 comeback win at Old Trafford against Manchester United in earlier cup action and a 2-0 win over Sunderland in the Premier League.

Charalampos Kostoulas remains a critical spark in the final third, contributing three goals and two assists to showcase his immense creative threat.

Fortunately, the squad is heavily boosted by the returns of Mats Wieffer and Yankuba Minteh, giving Hürzeler plenty of tactical flexibility despite managing a few minor knocks.