Pep Guardiola has tried to restore calmness in Manchester City while they start with a 10-game attack on the Premier League Top Four against fellow challengers Brighton.
City has won the title in each of the last four seasons, but this time they are confronted with a fight to qualify for the Champions League.
And their hope was hit by a harmful series of results previous time-out, where the city lost to the third placed Nottingham Forest, while Chelsea, Newcastle United, Brighton and Aston Villa all won.
With 10 games to play, City is fifth in what will probably be an extra Champions League place, although the sixth placed Newcastle only trailer the champions on goal balance.
There is pressure on the men of Guardiola, but their European fate stays in their own hands at this stage, where the manager knows that there is time to earn Champions League football.
“Listen, I want to be eligible for the Champions League – we naturally want to be eligible,” said Guardiola after the defeat of the forest.
“But the other teams that were not eligible last season have returned and they are there, and how many years has Manchester City been in the Champions League? Ten years? More?
“We never played in the Champions League for that, so we are of course used to doing exceptional things, and of course we have to try to do it.
Sights on the Zeemeeuwen pic.twitter.com/CF3HIIDBVC
– Manchester City (@Mancity) March 11, 2025
“But in the end of course we wake up in the morning and we try to do a good season next season, we have to go on, but at the end we have to try.
“Sometimes in the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League and other competitions, the circumstances and small details and many things make the difference.
“But in the Premier League, after 38 games, if we are not eligible, it is because we were not good enough.
“But we still have 10 games, the season is still in our hands and we're going to try it.”
Brighton is only one point behind the city in the seventh, after they have won their last four league games to close the gap because they are eligible for the Champions League for the first time.
Players to watch
Manchester City – Phil Foden
This has been a difficult season for Foden, the Premier League player of last year's season. It had looked like he found a form at the beginning of 2025 and scored six goals in four league games, but he has had to work in five since then.
Brighton's visit could then offer the English international a timely boost. Foden has scored eight competition goals against Brighton, more than he has against another side.
Brighton – Joao Pedro
After putting in his last three Premier League performances, Joao Pedro wants to become the first Brighton player who is just aware of in four in a row.
That may not be a surprise, given the limited history of Brighton in the competition, but Joao Pedro, who is included in the newest Brazilian team, would also join Richarlison to Richarlison as just the second Brazilian to achieve that performance for every club in the Premier League.
Match forecast: Profit from Manchester City
Brighton enjoys their joint-flight winning run and wants to complete a very first league bird over the city, but this fixture has never turned out to be fruitful for the seagulls.
City has not lost any of their 14 home league matches against Brighton, their most against every side without losing. Of those competitions, there are 12 city gains, including the last 10 in a row.
The Etihad Stadium is not entirely the fort that it has been earlier, where City has lost three home images this season, as much as combined in the three previous seasons. But they have only lost back-to-back home league matches under Guardiola and would like to go back from the defeat to Liverpool in their previous Etihad match.
Opta wins probability
Manchester City – 55.0%
Drawing – 21.7%
Brighton – 23.4%
Comments