Man City team news: Predicted XI vs Brighton as spiky Guardiola has three injury dilemmas

A spiky Pep Guardiola revealed that Manchester City will face Brighton in the Premier League with the same squad that was thrashed by Sporting in the Champions League. Only 15 first-team outfield players made the trip to Portugal.

Guardiola might need to throw Kevin De Bruyne, Nathan Ake and Kyle Walker into his starting 11 when he would otherwise be more careful with stars who have struggled with injuries. All three players have missed periods of the campaign with injury but were on the bench against Sporting.

“[There is] no good news,” Guardiola said. “We have the same [players available] as we did for Lisbon. The players that travelled, still they are there.”

The City boss will therefore need to get creative if he is to end a three-match losing streak. Here is how Express Sport predicts the Premier League champions will line-up at Brighton.

Goalkeeper: Ederson

Ederson is City’s No. 1 goalkeeper and will surely start against Brighton. He has kept only two clean sheets in 10 appearances.

Defenders: Rico Lewis, Manuel Akanji, Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Ake

Guardiola handed teenager Jahmai Simpson-Pusey a full debut against Sporting but could turn to more experienced players to help him defeat Brighton. Ake lasted a little over 70 minutes in the 2-1 defeat against Bournemouth and was rested against Sporting – but he could return to the team.

The Dutchman could either play at centre-back alongside Akanji or at left-back, with Gvardiol moving inside. Guardiola also has the option to bring Walker back into the team but may choose to stick with Lewis at right-back.

Midfielders: Mateo Kovacic, Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne

De Bruyne has been slowly reintegrated after suffering a hamstring injury in September. The 33-year-old played for six minutes against Sporting but could be thrown in from the start in a bid to add more quality to City’s attack.

Meanwhile, all three of Foden’s goals this season have come in the Champions League and he needs to step up in domestic action.

Forwards: Savinho, Erling Haaland, Bernardo Silva

With De Bruyne returning to the starting 11, Guardiola could move Silva into the front three. Matheus Nunes has been used as a makeshift left-winger in recent weeks but has struggled in that role.

Guardiola confirmed that Jack Grealish remains absent despite being called up to the England squad for November’s Nations League fixtures against Greece and Ireland. A clearly unhappy Guardiola said of the situation: “It is a question for the manager of England.”