Man City lineup vs. Brighton: Predicted XI for Premier League clash after Ruben Dias, josko Gvardiol injury blows

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will be down to the bare bones defensively for Wednesday's Premier League showdown with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium.

The Sky Blues lost Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol to issues in Sunday's 1-1 draw with Chelsea, and the former will miss a few weeks with a hamstring problem, while, Gvardiol has sustained a leg fracture and may be out for the rest of the season.

City are already missing Oscar Bobb (thigh), John Stones (unspecified), Mateo Kovacic (ankle), Savinho (unspecified), Rayan Ait-Nouri (AFCON) and Omar Marmoush (AFCON) for the visit of the Seagulls, but Nico Gonzalez has at least returned to the squad.

Thankfully, Guardiola can draft in two like-for-like replacements for Dias and Gvardiol in the shape of Abdukodir Khusanov and Nathan Ake, who should start as the hosts' central pairing.

The Catalan coach could even make one unenforced change at the back, as Matheus Nunes has played the full 90 in each of Man City's last 15 Premier League games, so Rico Lewis may earn a start in this one.

Rodri is still the most likely starter in the holding midfield role despite Gonzalez's return, behind an almost-untouched attack, but a fit-again Jeremy Doku could step in for Bernardo Silva.

Up top, Erling Haaland has now failed to score in three straight Premier League starts, and another blank on Wednesday would see the Norwegian go four successive top-flight starts without a goal for the first time ever.

Manchester City possible starting lineup:

Donnarumma; Lewis, Khusanov, Ake, O'Reilly; Rodri; Cherki, Foden, Reijnders, Doku; Haaland

> Click here to see how Brighton could line up for this game

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