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Staying in form
With two games remaining in this Premier League campaign, Pep Guardiola and Manchester City will want to stay sharp despite already being declared EPL champions.
They travel to Amex Field on Tuesday to face Brighton and Hove Albion who will be in the top flight again next season.
The Champions League final with Chelsea is just around the corner so staying healthy but in good form will be top of mind for the Sky Blues.
Brighton, meanwhile, doesn’t have much to play for at this point of the season, currently in 17th, but will have the assurance, they will be in the top flight next season.
The best Graham Potter and his side can do with two games remaining is possibly improve their position, as six points separate them from 13th in the table, although there are four teams currently above them in the standings.
Lineup News
Man City could have Kevin De Bruyne back in the starting 11 after missing the last two matches with a muscle injury.
If he can go, that would leave striker Sergio Aguero as the only absentee for Tuesday’s match.
Third-choice goalkeeper Scott Carson earned a surprise start last week in a 4-3 win against Newcastle.
Guardiola has already said Ederson would be back for the final two EPL games of the season.
Seagulls skipper Lewis Dunk and striker Neal Maupay are both suspended.
Defender Joel Veltman continues to recover from a calf injury, but it’s unlikely he’ll be ready for tomorrow’s match.
Not so bright
The Seagulls may get another season in the Premier League, but they still have a long way to go if they are to compete with the top clubs, especially Manchester City.
Brighton have lost all seven of their Premier League meetings with City by an aggregate score of 21-2.
They have found themselves trailing in most of those fixtures, leading for a total of 83 seconds during those matches.
The last time the Citizens lost to the Seagulls was in 1989 when both sides were in the second division.
City have not lost a top-flight match with Brighton since 1981 when they were beaten by a score of 4-1.
Midweek warriors
There’s something about playing in the middle of the week that Pep Guardiola and Man City seem to enjoy.
Since losing to Chelsea in June of last year, the Sky Blues have collected 37 out of a possible 39 points in midweek fixtures.
For Brighton, it’s been a completely different story when it comes to playing in midweek.
Since a 3-1 victory against Crystal Palace in 2018, the Seagulls have earned just two points out of a possible 27 in their midweek games in the Premier League.
Ending poorly
Historically, the Seagulls have not fared well when finishing a campaign, especially at home.
Brighton have won their final home game in just one of their previous six seasons.
The last time they did so, they defeated Manchester United in 2017-18.
City haven’t lost their final EPL fixture away from the Etihad since 2008-09 when they fell 2-1 against Tottenham.
Lucky 13
Last week, Man City’s victory against Newcastle set a new Premier League record for consecutive away wins with 12.
That streak is more than any other team in the EPL has won at home all season.
On a roll
Since joining City last summer, he hasn’t featured much, but Ferran Torres has come alive when called upon lately.
The speedy Spaniard has netted five goals in his last four EPL appearances.
He scored a hat trick against the Magpies at St. James’ Park last Friday.
Feasting on Seagulls
A pair of Man City players always seem to relish the opportunity to play Brighton and Hove Albion.
Sergio Aguero has scored in all four of his Premier League games versus Brighton, with five goals.
In the history of this competition, only Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah has a higher 100% record of scoring in every game against a single opponent (scoring six versus Bournemouth).
Raheem Sterling is another one who has not featured much this season but loves to play the Seagulls.
The Englishman has been involved in five goals in four Premier League starts against Brighton.
Sterling scored a hat trick in this exact fixture last season.
Managers Words
City boss Pep Guardiola says his side is ready for tomorrow’s match and not thinking about the upcoming Champions League Final.
“Working to prepare for Brighton helps us for the final. I am not focused on Chelsea. We wouldn’t prepare well if we weren’t prepared for Brighton and Everton.
Tomorrow we are going to play a game to win again; it’s the best way to arrive for the final. (For the) final five or six days, we will be more focused for Chelsea.
“People need to maintain rhythm to play their best in final as possible, and the only way is to train well.
“We train as usual to arrive at the Brighton game and Everton game and the Champions League final as best as possible.”
Match Info
Tuesday’s match from Amex Stadium begins at 7 pm. (JSL).
