Pep Guardiola will have at least one huge selection decision to make against Brighton - but will Raheem Sterling or Jack Grealish get the nod? City are set to resume their Premier League title charge after making several changes for the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool on Saturday afternoon.
Sterling and £100million man Grealish both started that game. However, with Kevin De Bruyne and Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez expected to come back into the starting line-up, it appears to be a straight shootout between those two England teammates at the Etihad Stadium (8pm).
Of course, a consolation goal from Grealish against Liverpool has strengthened his case. In their last Premier League game against the Reds, though, it was Sterling who won that particular in-house battle.
READ MORE: Pep Guardiola gives Man City injury update including Kyle Walker and Ruben Dias
Defensively there are positives and negatives on the selection front for Guardiola. Indeed, the return of Ruben Dias to the bench at Wembley - albeit as an unused sub - came as a major boost to the Spanish manager, but City won't be able to call upon England right-back Kyle Walker against the Seagulls.
Walker remains on the sidelines after Guardiola confirmed the set-back at his pre-match press conference. Centre-back Aymeric Laporte should return, leaving Nathan Ake and Oleksandr Zinchenko competing for one starting spot in the back-line alongside Joao Cancelo, John Stones and returning Laporte.
Man City predicted line-up vs Brighton (4-3-3): Ederson; Cancelo, Stones, Laporte, Ake; Bernardo, Rodri, De Bruyne; Mahrez, Foden, Sterling.
IN: Ederson, Laporte, Rodri, De Bruyne, Mahrez.
OUT: Steffen, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Jesus, Grealish.
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