Do the Seagulls clinch the Europa League?

Both Brighton & Hove Albion and Manchester City have had plenty to celebrate recently. While the Sky Blues have secured their Premier League title ahead of schedule, the Seagulls are set to enter a European competition for the first time in their club’s history. If Brighton are tipped to win a point against Manchester City, the home side would even be guaranteed a Europa League spot.

Even in the event of a home defeat, Brighton have an excellent chance of finishing sixth. The only important thing would be to avoid a heavy home defeat. However, the Seagulls have been hotly contested for the most part. No other Premier League team has scored as many goals as the southerners since Roberto De Zerbi took over as manager (104 – 59 goals and 45 conceded). Brighton’s prediction of a high-scoring clash against Manchester City is accordingly high.

The Sky Blues, who still have the FA Cup final and the Champions League final ahead of them after the English week with the league games against Brighton and Brentford, are likely to have a lot of rotation again. In view of the quality across the board, however, this should also be a great opportunity for numerous players from the second row to make their presence felt. We expect the Citizens to be correspondingly committed on the English south coast.

Considering that Brighton have conceded 33 goals in eleven Premier League meetings with the Citizens (an average of three), we find the greatest value in betting on the Sky Blues to win by at least two goals.

Brighton – Statistics & current form

Already in recent years, Brighton & Hove Albion have done an outstanding job under Graham Potter. Accordingly, the faces were long when the successful coach was poached by Chelsea early in the season.

In fact, things went even better under successor Roberto De Zerbi. Since last weekend’s 3-1 home win over Southampton, it has already been decided that the Seagulls will play internationally for the first time in their club’s history in the 2023/24 season. The only thing left to be decided is whether it will be the Europa League or the Conference League.

Excellent starting position for the Europa League

With a three-point lead over Aston Villa and a goal difference that is 16 better, everything points to the Europa League. Just a point against Manchester City would certainly be enough for Brighton to get sixth place over the finishing line. However, with a showdown away to the Villans on Sunday, it would be beneficial to avoid a heavy home defeat.

Assuming the Seagulls were to lose 1-0 to the Sky Blues, they would have to lose by eight goals at Villa Park on Sunday to lose out on sixth place. However, Brighton’s betting on a low-scoring game against Manchester City is not exactly under the most favourable of omens.

Most goals scored by all Premier League teams

Since Roberto De Zerbi finally took over as Brighton coach, no other Premier League team has had more goal assists than the Seagulls. A total of 104 goals have been scored in the 30 Premier League games under the Italian (59 goals, 45 conceded), with only Manchester City (70) and Arsenal (66) having scored more often than Brighton.

However, this also means that the Seagulls, who have conceded a total of 33 goals in the eleven Premier League games against the Citizens so far (an average of three per game), are no longer as defensively compact as they have been in recent seasons. It will be correspondingly difficult to survive against the goal-hungry champions.

Manchester City – Statistics & current form

For much of the 2022/23 season, it looked as though Manchester City would have to give way to resurgent Arsenal FC this summer after four championships from the last five seasons.

However, not only because of a brilliant final spurt, but also because the Gunners slumped in the final third of the season, the Sky Blues’ Premier League title defence is already in the bag. They are seven points clear of second place.

Unbeaten for 24 consecutive competitive games

The Citizens, who now have their focus on the FA Cup final and Champions League final, were able to take it easy last Sunday when they recorded a 1-0 home win against Chelsea with a B eleven.

In the process, Pep Guardiola’s side remained unbeaten in their 24th consecutive competitive match (20 wins, four draws). In the Premier League, it was even the twelfth win in a row. Accordingly, the odds are clearly in favour of the Sky Blues in the Brighton v Manchester City match.

Won the last 25 Premier League matches on a Wednesday

City have not only won eleven of their last twelve competitive games against Brighton (one defeat), but they are also decidedly fond of competing on Wednesday nights in the Premier League. The Sky Blues have won all of their last 25 league games on this weekday without exception – and with a goal difference of 68:11.

It is true that there is no pressure after winning the championship. But that also leaves plenty of room for light-heartedness and playfulness, which is why things could get very uncomfortable very quickly for the Seagulls, who are also something of a favourite victim of Riyad Mahrez, who has been involved in five goals in his last four away games at the Falmer Stadium (two goals, three assists).

Brighton – Manchester City Direct Comparison / H2H Record

Head to head: 6 – 4 – 19

There have been a total of 29 meetings between the two teams so far and with 19 wins the Sky Blues lead the direct comparison very clearly. Most recently, eleven of the last twelve competitive matches have gone to Manchester City, with the Citizens having scored in all eleven PL duels against Brighton, scoring a total of 33 goals (an average of three goals per game).

Brighton – Manchester City betting tips

With Brighton against Manchester City, our prediction goes to the visitors, who come to the Falmer Stadium on a run of 24 consecutive competitive games without defeat (20 wins, four draws). Moreover, with rotation to be expected, a very motivated team should be on the pitch, looking to make another splash on England’s south coast.

Brighton have scored the third most goals (59) since Roberto De Zerbi took over, behind Manchester City (70) and Arsenal (66), but they have also conceded 45 in that time. Accordingly, it could be a high-scoring affair.