Last updated & checked: 10/08/2021
If Manchester City win here, they’ll have once again secured their place as Premier League champions. It’s fair to say then that the defending champions are about as motivated as you can get heading into this match, with terrific form throughout 2019 further bolstering their confidence. The only disappointment they’ve suffered lately was at the hands of Tottenham in the Champions League. You have to look all the way back to January for their last domestic loss: a shock result against Newcastle.
Brighton, therefore, have quite the challenge ahead of them, especially considering they are coming into this match off the back of a nine-match winless run. They may have fought hard enough to avoid relegation but a home victory here might very well be the shock of the season. City will do everything they can to ensure that they do not fall at the last hurdle.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Manchester City Prediction: Brighton 0-2 Man City
It’s hard to imagine anyone making the argument that a Brighton victory is the most likely outcome between these two. Even when you consider that the home team have looked tough in their most recent draws against Newcastle and Arsenal, a win here for Brighton still feels like a very slim possibility. On top of that, Manchester City have not conceded a single goal in their last four Premier League matches. Plus, considering just how important this match is and how well-rounded a squad they have, that trend is likely to continue here. All in all, our scoreline prediction is a 2-0 victory for City.
Our recommended tip: Manchester City win to nil
Sitting at the top of the Premier League standings – 16 places and 59 points ahead of their upcoming opponents – it’s no surprise that Manchester City hold the advantage here. They come into this contest with a huge 81% win probability to Brighton’s 5%, with a drawn result being more probable than a home win at 14%. Therefore, you should back the favourites to victory here. However, considering Manchester City have won four of their last five matches without conceding a goal, we recommend that you predict the defending champions will win to nil. You’ll get low-risk 5/6 odds on this result at Ladbrokes.
Previous matches
Unfortunately for Brighton, there’s not much hope to be found when looking back at their recent clashes with Manchester City. They’ve lost every game that is recent enough to be relevant: that is, within the last decade. We suppose the bright side here is that their last encounter was the closest they’ve come in a very long time. However, it still makes for bleak reading for Brighton fan, as. 2008 marked the last time City lost to Brighton – on penalties in the Carabao Cup. That means a home side victory here would be huge both in its immediate effect and historically.
Top 3 Premier League Bookies
Players to watch: Solly March & Vincent Kompany
Brighton & Hove Albion: Solly March
Glenn Murray is a lot of people’s pick here and we can’t deny there’s always a good reason to have Brighton’s top goalscorer as your player to watch in pretty much every fixture for this team. However, it will take more than one player to bring down a side like Manchester City and the efforts of Solly March are not to be overlooked. Just look at his brilliant performance against Arsenal for proof of how good he can be against the league’s heavy hitters, assuming he’s given the chance.
Manchester City: Vincent Kompany
We don’t know how long Vincent Kompany will remain with the club, but he more than proved with his match winning performance against Leicester that he still has plenty to offer the defending champs. If this is his last chance at holding the Premier League title with Man City, we can’t think of a more fitting way for this season’s journey to end than with Kompany playing a major part in the result.
