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Brighton enter matchday three of the new Premier League season stuck in the relegation zone and without a win. The Seagulls hope to end that wait sooner rather than later, and target all three points on Sunday when a battered and bruised Man City arrives at Falmer Stadium for a 14:00 BST start.
Manchester City have won one and lost one of their previous games, and were well beaten by a Spurs side that out-fought and out-thought them last Saturday. Everyone connected to the away dressing room knows it's early in the season and nothing will be decided in August, but they plan to end the month on a high. A win would drive City back up the table, but will they return to winning ways at the first time of asking?
Flashscore's Premier League writer Frank Monkhouse brings readers up to speed on the Brighton vs Man City form, stats, and betting odds.
Brighton vs Man City tips
Man City win and both score @ 11/5 (bet365)
Brighton 1-2 Man City @ 17/2 (bet365)
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publication and subject to change.
Seagulls enjoyed a solid start
Brighton started the season with high hopes of building on last term's solid eighth-place finish. The Seagulls battled to 16 wins, 13 draws and nine defeats, scoring 66 goals and conceding 59. They narrowly missed out on a top-seven finish and place in Europe, with Nottingham Forest one spot and four points better off. Fans want to see their club continue to grow and flourish, and got a sign of things to come when watching a hard-fought draw with Fulham here on the opening weekend.
Brighton took the lead against the Cottagers thanks to a penalty scored by Matt O'Riley early in the second half. That spotkick looked enough to separate the teams on a desperate afternoon, but there was a final twist in the tail. Fulham snatched an equaliser deep into stoppage time to ensure they left for London with a point. It was a case of two points dropped by Brighton, but it was one more than they got from a visit to Everton's new stadium last time. The Toffees celebrated an important day with a 2-0 win, despite Brighton having 57.6% of the ball possession and 13 shots at goal.
Brighton had a chance of upsetting their hosts on the grand unveiling of Hill Dickinson Stadium, but were wasteful in the final third. That's something the coaching staff must work on in training, but I expect them to see improvement back at home. A bet on over 2.5 goals in this fixture would've landed you a return in each of the last four meetings. I'm hopeful that run will stretch to five.
Tip: Over 2.5 goals @ 4/7 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If this match produces three or more goals from both teams combined, your bet wins.
Visitors will get back on track
Manchester City enter one of the most important seasons in their history. All has been rosy in the Etihad Stadium garden in recent years. The club has been winning trophies, spending money, and attracting the best players in world football. However, with several off-field issues and a financial fair play ruling looming over the team, all eyes are on Manchester to see how they will respond. Is 2025/26 the season City's spending finally catches up with them? We all must wait and see.
While they can't affect what's going on behind the scenes, Pep Guardiola and his team of stars can focus on winning matches, picking up points and keeping the club on track for a title challenge. They lost the EPL trophy to Liverpool last season when finishing third. PSG took their Champions League gong, and they did little of note at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States this summer. That doesn't inspire much confidence in a Man City title win, and neither does their form so far this term.
The visitors arrive on the South Coast with three points from a possible six, having scored four goals and conceded two. They opened with a deserved 4-0 win at Molineux against a Wolves side who were out of the game by half-time. A home defeat to Spurs followed that perfect start, with the Londoners collecting a 2-0 victory at the Etihad. Interestingly, City were out of that match by the interval themselves. The experienced manager wants to see an instant reaction, but they must earn it against a determined opponent.
Tip: Man City win and both score @ 11/5 (bet365)
Bet explanation: You need Man City to win, but Brighton to score.
Play for a big price
Our final recommended bet in the Brighton vs Man City match is aimed at lovers of big odds. It's still very early in the season, and there's not much strong information or trends to follow, but Brighton 1-2 Man City looks worth a small interest at a bumper price. You'll find that wager in the correct score market.
Landing a correct score prediction in the Premier League is notoriously difficult. Follow our pick and if the match ends with a 2-1 win to the away team, you'll hike up your betting balance. But if the game ends with any score other than 1-2, the bookmaker keeps your stake. My advice is to keep your stakes low and tread carefully.
The reason I'm happy to take a risk this early is that the head-to-head stats suggest we'll get a run for our money. 2-1 was the result in half of the previous four meetings, with a 2-2 draw included in that spell. Man City beat Brighton 2-1 in the 2023/24 season, before the Seagulls returned the favour last time. Brighton conceded two goals against Everton a week ago, and I'm happy the rewards are worth the risk.
Tip: Brighton 1-2 Man City correct score @ 17/2 (bet365)
Bet explanation: If the final score is a 2-1 win for Man City, you'll enjoy a bumper profit.
Brighton vs Man City odds
The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.
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The odds, correct at the time of publication, are subject to change.