(Football news) The two sides will play each other for the first time since the Citizens’ 2-1 triumph at Etihad Stadium at the end of October of last year, when they overcame a late comeback by the Seagulls.

Due to their ongoing injury problems and the uncertainty surrounding head coach Roberto De Zerbi’s future, Brighton’s performance has declined dramatically since the start of the season, and they are now playing catch-up to guarantee themselves a spot in the European football league the following season.

Just three wins have been posted across their 13 Premier League games of 2024 and they have failed to come out on top in any of their last four matches, most recently rescuing a point in a 1-1 draw at relegation-threatened Burnley just over a week ago.

A calamitous own goal from Clarets goalkeeper Arijanet Muric restored parity for the Seagulls just five minutes after Josh Brownhill had given the hosts a 74th-minute lead, and the draw for Brighton represents their 11th in the top flight this season, at least two more than any other team in the division.

After securing sixth spot in the previous campaign, their highest-ever Premier League finish, Brighton currently sit 10th in the table, six points behind seventh-placed Manchester United and sixth-placed Newcastle United with six games left to play.

With four of their remaining six league matches on home soil, Brighton will welcome a return to the Amex where they have only lost one of their last 15 fixtures in all competitions – a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in their most recent home outing on April 6.

Success on Thursday could prove challenging for the Seagulls as they have lost 11 of their previous 13 Premier League encounters with Manchester City, although the four points that they have collected during this run have come across their last three home games with the Citizens, including a solitary point claimed in a 1-1 draw last season – a game in which Julio Enciso scored a long-range screamer that was voted Goal of the Season.

Three days after their heart-breaking Champions League exit on penalties to Real Madrid, Manchester City secured their spot in the FA Cup final for a second successive year after edging past Chelsea by a 1-0 scoreline at Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Chelsea were made to rue a host of missed chances and a visibly jaded Citizens outfit snatched victory six minutes from time when Bernardo Silva’s deflected strike squeezed in at the near post to ensure that the holders remain on course to for another domestic double, setting a new unbeaten club record in the process.

Another Manchester derby FA Cup final awaits Pep Guardiola’s side on May 25, but they must first shift their attention back to the Premier League title race. The Citizens have slipped to third in the table after both Arsenal and Liverpool won at the weekend – the Gunners can move four points clear at the top with victory over Chelsea on Tuesday, but City will crucially have two games in hand.

Manchester City, bidding to win an unprecedented fourth Premier League title in a row, have put together a club-record 42-game unbeaten run at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions, but they are now gearing up for four away league matches in their next five, including Thursday’s trip to Brighton.

It’s interesting to note that City’s only two Premier League losses to the Seagulls have been in midweek matches at the Amex: a 3-2 loss on a Tuesday in May 2021 and the aforementioned 1-1 stalemate on a Wednesday in May 2023.

Guardiola and company, however, will be optimistic about Thursday’s outcome because they have won 17 of the last 19 Premier League midweek games and have accrued 19 of a possible 21 points from their last seven away games. They have a 100% scoring record against Bournemouth (14) on fewer occasions, but they have also scored in all 13 of their matches in the top division with Brighton.

Also read: Manchester United make a 4-2 comeback to win in EPL