Brighton & Hove Albion FC vs Manchester City - Premier League Preview and Odds

Published on: 11/08/2017

Brighton & Hove Albion FC vs Manchester City - Premier League Preview and Odds

August 12, 2017 17:30pm - The American Express Community Stadium

Premier League

Brighton and Hove Albion will mark their return to the top flight with an opening day clash against one of this seasons title favourites Manchester City at The American Express Community Stadium on Saturday.

It has been 25 years since Brighton fans have witnessed top flight football and much has changed at the club and in football in general since those days. The Seagulls have moved stadium three times since then but are now firmly settled in their recently-constructed stadium. They have also flirted with extinction and came within a point of dropping out of the football league. Their revival and return to the top tier is one of the more positive football stories in recent times.

Chris Hughton`s side may not be able to compete with Manchester City`s spending power but they will hope to give them a run for their money on the pitch as they go in search of morale-boosting win. New signings include Steven Alzate, Izzy Brown, Pascal Gross, Jose Izquierdo, Josh Kerr, Ales Mateju, Matthias Norman, Davy Propper, Matthew Ryan and Markus Suttner.

Whether their new look roster will possess the quality needed to avoid the drop remains to be seen but the South Coast club will be amongst the bookies favourites to go down. Saturday`s opener will give everyone a chance to assess their credentials against one of the strongest teams in Europe.

Meanwhile, City have not been shy in the transfer market having splashed close to £200m on new players this summer. Kyle Walker, Danilo and Benjamin Mendy have all been drafted in to bolster the back line. They arrive here in good form having defeated Real Madrid, Spurs, and West Ham in pre-season, their only blip being a loss to arch rivals Manchester United.

Recent form (all competitions)

Brighton & Hove Albion FC: LDDWW

Manchester City: WWWLW

Betting odds and tips

When City`s name is on the program a high-scoring game can usually be expected so Brighton will have their work cut out to contain the expected onslaught. An over 2.5 goal count should be expected with the visitors ultimately coming out on top.

You can back Man City/Over 2.5 Goals at a best price of 19/20

By Neil Morris