Brighton & Hove Albion's Premier League momentum faces a major test in the Carabao Cup fourth round against holders Manchester City on Wednesday. The Seagulls, sitting third in the league table with 16 points from eight games, travel to the Etihad Stadium for a 19:30 BST kick-off. Their record of five wins, one draw and two losses from eight league games leaves them five points behind leaders Manchester City ahead of their league meeting on Saturday 31 October.
Fabian Hürzeler's side have won five of their last six matches across all competitions, a run that includes a 5-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace and a 3-2 victory over Manchester United in the previous cup round. Their last outing was a 2-0 league defeat at Liverpool on Saturday, a result that ended a five-match winning streak. Brighton's top scorer this season is Charalampos Kostoulas, who has three goals in eight appearances. The team's recent form in the league stands at three wins, one draw and one loss from their last five matches, a sequence that includes the 2-0 loss at Liverpool on 25 October, a 0-0 draw with FK Jablonec, and victories over Crystal Palace, Kauno Žalgiris and Sunderland. Overall this season, they have scored 23 goals while conceding just seven.
The Opposition
Manchester City enter as defending champions, having beaten Arsenal in last season's final. Manager Enzo Maresca confirmed Erling Haaland is a slight doubt with a foot issue but could feature after a training assessment. The Norwegian striker was in the starting lineup for City's 2-1 league loss to Aston Villa last time out. City have won four of their last five matches themselves. The last meeting between these sides ended in a 1-1 draw.
Team News and Stakes
Brighton will be without forward Zadok Yohanna due to injury, while Kaoru Mitoma is also a doubt for the fixture. For City, forward Antoine Semenyo is ruled out for up to eight weeks with a knee injury. The tie represents a chance for Brighton to measure their progress against the league's elite. A place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals is the immediate prize.
The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. Brighton's focus will then swiftly turn back to the Premier League, where they host the same opponents, league leaders Manchester City, just three days later on Saturday 31 October.
