Young defender Max Alleyne will start for Man City against Brighton tonight, days after being recaled from his loan to Watford.
Between recent injuries and AFCON absentees, Guardiola’s options for rotation against the Seagulls will be severely limited.
Sunday’s draw with Chelsea saw two key first-team players join the growing injury list as Josko Gvardiol sustained a fractured shinbone and Ruben Dias tweaked his hamstring, leaving him facing six weeks on the sidelines.
John Stones has now been absent for over a month, with Guardiola insisting he does not know when the England international might return.
“[He is not] ready for the next games,” said Guardiola of Stones. “Of course, he’s an important player for us for a long time and he was injured for a long time last season; this season looks the same.”
To make matters worse, full-back Rayan Ait-Nouri continues to represent Algeria at AFCON.
The 21-year-old Abdukodir Khusanov finds himself thrust into the spotlight, then, and is forced to step in at centre-back for just his seventh League appearance of the season.
He will likely be partnered by the more experienced Nathan Ake, with Matheus Nunes reprising his roles at full-back as Nico O’Reilly is rested.
Khusanov has not started a match for City since mid-December, while Ake has been in from the off in less than half of the side’s Premier League matches this campaign.
Guardiola will rely on his mostly-fit midfield to shield his inexperienced defenders, then. Nico Gonzalez is fit to play after missing the Chelsea draw, and starts in place of Rodri in the middle of the park.
Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders should both keep their places alongside the Spaniard.
There could be a decision to make in attack, though, with Jeremy Doku making a timely return from injury. Phil Foden is goalless since early December, but it is Rayan Cherki who drops to the bench to accommodate Doku.
Erling Haaland is also enduring a dry spell, but with Omar Marmoush away at AFCON, he keeps his spot.
Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Khusanov, Alleyne, Ake, Nico, Bernardo, Reijnders, Foden, Doku, Haaland
Subs: Trafford, Cherki, Rodri, O'Reilly, McAidoo, Mukasa, Lewis, Mfuni, R. Heskey
Injured: Gvardiol, Dias, Stones, Savinho, Bobb, Kovacic
Unavailable: Ait-Nouri, Marmoush (AFCON)
Time and date: 7:30pm GMT on Wednesday, January 7, 2026
How to watch: Sky Sports
Venue: Etihad Stadium
