Man City vs Brighton: Carabao Cup Preview, Lineups & Predictions

On Wednesday night, Manchester City will face Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium in a highly anticipated Carabao Cup fourth round match. This encounter marks the first of two meetings between these Premier League rivals within a few days, as they will meet again on Saturday.

Brighton plans to remain in Manchester throughout the week to recover and adapt, following their manager Fabian Hürzeler’s approach. Meanwhile, City's coach Enzo Maresca hinted at a flexible strategy, possibly involving rotation to keep the squad fresh and unpredictable.

Match Prediction: Brighton Could Upset Manchester City

Both teams entered last weekend’s Premier League fixtures with strong momentum. Maresca had maintained a perfect record with seven consecutive wins, while Brighton enjoyed an impressive run of four league victories with a combined score of 15–0. Yet both suffered losses despite decent performances.

“Brighton’s German coach described this cup tie as ‘do-or-die,’” while Maresca seemed more open to using the match for rotating players.

The clash might hinge on how much priority each manager places on the competition. Brighton looks eager to challenge, which could mean another tough night for City.

Head-to-head record: Since the start of the 2024–25 season, Manchester City have played 22 different Premier League clubs and defeated 21. The only club to consistently trouble them is Brighton.
Offensive shootout: These teams lead the league in scoring but also struggle defensively. City concedes some of the highest quality chances, a vulnerability that Brighton might exploit.

Prediction: Manchester City 2 – 3 Brighton

Expected Lineups

Maresca rested key starters over the weekend, aiming to have them return energized. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma will be on the bench, with Gerónimo Rulli starting in goal. Defensive options like Marc Guéhi might get rest after recent struggles. Matheus Nunes remains doubtful due to injury, alongside Antoine Semenyo who is out for several weeks.

Goalkeeper: Rulli
Defenders: Lewis, Khusanov, Dias, Aït-Nouri
Midfielders: Bouaddi, Anderson
Attacking Midfielders: Ndiaye, O’Reilly, Doku
Forward: Foden

Brighton has welcomed back Mats Wieffer and Yankuba Minteh, both traveling with the squad though it’s unclear if they will start. Chema Andrés and Ferdi Kadıoğlu are injured but remain in contention. Pascal Struijk and Kaoru Mitoma are unavailable for selection.

Goalkeeper: Verbruggen
Defenders: Costinha, Vušković, Dunk, Boscagli
Midfielders: Groß, Hinshelwood
Attacking Midfielders: Gómez, Ayari, De Cuyper
Forward: Kostoulas

Match Details

Location: Manchester, England
Stadium: Etihad Stadium
Date: Wednesday, October 28
Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. GMT / 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT
Referee: Andrew Madley

Broadcast Information

United States: Paramount+
Canada: DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada
Mexico: Disney+ Premium Mexico
United Kingdom: Sky Sports+

Both teams are expected to bring intensity to this Carabao Cup tie, setting the stage for an exciting match ahead of their Premier League meeting later this week.