Big absentee for Manchester City and Roberto De Zerbi picks experienced players for crunch battle with Pep Guardiola

The Italian has gone for experience, with Jason Steele replacing Bart Verbruggen in goal, James Milner coming in at right-back for Joel Veltman and Danny Welbeck replacing Evan Ferguson up front.

Albion travel to the Etihad without a win since the 3-1 victory over Bournemouth at the Amex on Sunday, September 24. Since then, they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Chelsea and thrashed 6-1 at Aston Villa before coming from behind twice in a week to earn 2-2 draws against Marseille and Liverpool.

Manchester City are also desperate for a win to get their season back on track. Pep Guardiola’s side went into the international break after losing 1-0 at title-rivals Arsenal – their third defeat in four games in all competitions. It was also their second consecutive Premier League defeat, following the 2-1 loss at Wolves.

Guardiola has made five changes to the side that lost at the Emirates. The return of Rodri is a huge boost for the hosts after the Spaniard served a three-match suspension for a red card against Nottingham Forest.

John Stones returns from injury while Stefan Ortega starts in goal, with Ederson given a rare rest. Jeremy Doku and Manuel Akanji have also been given the nod.

A win for Albion would take them into fourth place, above City – but they need to improve defensively, having conceded 16 goals already this season.

"My focus is on the clean sheet,” De Zerbi said in his pre-match press conference.

"I feel pain when I watch the goals we are conceding. It is too many. Luton, Wolverhampton and Newcastle at home, we concede three goals [from] nothing.

"In Villa Park, it was a very tough day, now we have conceded 16 I think. It is too many. We are very good when we attack but the great teams score a lot of goals and concede not so many goals. We have to improve for sure. We are working in tactical disposition and situations."

Brighton XI: Jason Steele, Igor Julio, Lewis Dunk, James Milner, Solly March, Pascal Gross, Danny Welbeck, Carlos Baleba, Kaoru Mitoma, Simon Adingra, Joao Pedro

Substitutes: Bart Verbruggen, Adam Webster; Mahmoud Dahoud; Billy Gilmour; Adam Lallana; Evan Ferguson, Jan Paul van Hecke, Ansu Fati, Joel Veltman

Man City XI: Stefan Ortega, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Rodri, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva, Jeremy Doku, Julian Alvarez, Erling Haaland

Substitutes: Ederson, Ruben Dias, Kalvin Phillips, Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish, Sergio Gomez, Matheus Nunes, Rico Lewis