Overview
- Guardiola makes five changes from the Chelsea draw, handing the recalled centre-back his debut alongside Khusanov with Ake and Nunes completing the back four, as Rodri is named on the bench.
- City confirm major absences with Josko Gvardiol sidelined for four to five months with a tibial fracture, Ruben Dias out four to six weeks with a hamstring injury, and John Stones not ready to return.
- After draws with Sunderland and Chelsea, City trail Arsenal by six points and play first before Arsenal face Liverpool on Thursday.
- Brighton travel on the back of a 2-0 win over Burnley, with Fabian Hurzeler unbeaten in his last three meetings with Guardiola, though the Seagulls have never won at the Etihad.
- Confirmed XIs list Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Alleyne, Ake; Nico, Bernardo, Reijnders; Foden, Haaland, Doku for City, and Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, Dunk, Van Hecke, Kadioglu; Gomez, Gross, Ayari; De Cuyper, Rutter, Mitoma for Brighton, with TV in India on Star Sports and streaming on JioHotstar at 1:00 AM IST on January 8.