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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Joe Bray & Tyrone Marshall & Alex Brotherton

How Man City should line up vs Brighton in Premier League

Manchester City could welcome back John Stones to the matchday squad against Brighton after he returned to training this week.

Stones has been out of action since feeling his hamstring on England duty last month, but was a welcome face back in training this week and Pep Guardiola says he will be considered for the City squad to face Brighton at the Etihad. Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips remain out.

Guardiola played Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne out wide in the defeat at Liverpool, with Ilkay Gundogan through the middle, but may be tempted to recall Jack Grealish or Riyad Mahrez on Saturday to return to winning ways.

ALSO READ: City can unleash secret weapon to help Haaland

The manager will also have to decide whether to play Manuel Akanji at right-back, or Nathan Ake at left-back, with Joao Cancelo on the opposite side. Or, whether he will employ another deputy full-back in Walker's absence.

Read how our writers think City should line up vs Brighton and pick your best starting XI using the team selector below:

Tyrone Marshall

After last week it should be back to basics for City and a system and shape that has been working well this season, giving them particular balance in attacking areas.

That means Cancelo back on the right so Akanji moves to right-back, with Dias and Laporte in the centre. Ake is earmarked for Tuesday night and today is likely to be too soon for Stones to start.

The midfield needs reworking after last week. Rodri will play the holding role and De Bruyne and Bernardo can play their more traditional roles ahead of him. De Bruyne has combined well with Foden down the right and, likewise, Bernardo with Grealish down the left, so they can play the wide roles, with Haaland at centre forward.

Joe Bray

The attacking experiment against Liverpool really didn't work, so Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva should move back to central midfield after their weird wide roles at Anfield. To help De Bruyne on the right, Phil Foden can switch to that wing, and Jack Grealish can return on the left after having his position strengthened last week even without playing.

Joao Cancelo was caught out on the right last week, so it might be best for Manuel Akanji to move back to that side, with Cancelo on the left. Then it's a choice between Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake as the left-footed centre-back, and on form, I'd say Ake takes it.

That can also save Laporte for the trip to Dortmund in the week, with players like Erling Haaland also earmarked for early substitutions to rest those legs for the game in Germany.

Pick your best team here:

Alex Brotherton

Quite a lot of City fans were surprised to see Ilkay Gundogan's name on the team sheet instead of Jack Grealish last weekend, and I think the English attacker will reclaim his spot on Saturday. Grealish has looked good in recent matches and will be keen to prove a point having played no part in one of the biggest games in City's season.

Bringing him and pushing Phil Foden back over to the right wing would allow Kevin de Bruyne to play in his usual number eight role - at Anfield he struggled to create many chances without an out-and-out winger to play off, so I'd put good money on him setting up at least one goal for Erling Haaland against Brighton.

Joao Cancelo should move back to the left side of defence - left-back can now be considered his natural position - with Akanji filling in on the right.

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