Man City vs. Brighton confirmed lineups: Alleyne debut, Rodri, Cherki, Doku decisions made for Premier League clash

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has made a total of five changes to his starting lineup for tonight’s Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium.

The headline name included in the first XI is 20-year-old academy graduate Max Alleyne, who will make his senior debut for the Citizens just a few days after being recalled from his loan spell at Championship side Watford.

In the absence of injured duo Josko Gvardiol and Ruben Dias, Alleyne will play alongside Abdukodir Khusanov at centre-back, while Nathan Ake is recalled to play at left-back at the expense of Nico O'Reilly. Matheus Nunes completes a back four that will protect Gianluigi Donnarumma in goal.

Elsewhere, Nico Gonzalez is fit to start at the base of Man City's midfield after missing the 1-1 draw with Chelsea last weekend, and he replaces Spanish compatriot Rodri in the starting lineup.

Like Rodri, Rayan Cherki reverts to the substitutes' bench and has been replaced by Jeremy Doku, who is set to link up with captain Bernardo Silva, Tijjani Reijnders and Phil Foden in the final third, providing support in attack for top scorer Erling Haaland up front.

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First Brighton start Gross following return, Hinshelwood, De Cuyper recalled

As for Brighton, head coach Fabian Hurzeler has made a total of three changes to the side that beat Burnley 2-0 last weekend.

There is a first start for experienced playmaker Pascal Gross following his return to the club from Borussia Dortmund at the beginning of this month.

Fellow midfielder Jack Hinshelwood and full-back Maxim de Cuyper also come into the starting lineup, while Brajan Gruda, Joel Veltman and Charalampos Kostoulas make way, the latter two are left out of the squad entirely.

De Cuyper will begin at right-back and join captain Lewis Dunk, Jan Paul van Hecke and Ferdi Kadioglu in the back four, protecting goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.

Hinshelwood and Yasin Ayari will likely operate in slightly deeper midfield roles behind Gross, while Diego Gomez and Kaoru Mitoma will provide support from the flanks for Georginio Rutter up front.

Former Man City midfielder James Milner, who recently turned 40 years old, and ex-Man United striker Danny Welbeck are among the substitutes.

Manchester City starting lineup: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Alleyne, Ake; Gonzalez; Bernardo, Reijnders, Foden, Doku; Haaland

Subs: Trafford, Cherki, Rodri, O’Reilly, McAidoo, Mukasa, Lewis, Mfuni, R. Heskey

Brighton & Hove Albion starting lineup: Verbruggen; De Cuyper, Dunk, Van Hecke, Kadioglu; Ayari, Hinshelwood; Gomez, Gross, Mitoma; Rutter

Subs: Steele, Gruda, Watson, Welbeck, Milner, Boscagli, Coppola, Tasker, Howell