Manchester City vs Brighton takes place on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, in the Carabao Cup fourth round at the Etihad Stadium. Kick-off is at 20:30 South African time (19:30 BST). City manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed Gerónimo Rulli will start in goal, while Brighton coach Fabian Hürzeler prepares his side for the first of two visits to the Etihad in four days.

The tie decides which club advances to the quarter-finals. For the Manchester City vs Brighton live score, confirmed lineups and match events, follow SportPesa Score as the match develops.

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Manchester City are set to make changes for the Carabao Cup meeting with Brighton. Enzo Maresca confirmed that goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli will start and explained that the compressed fixture calendar makes rotation necessary.

Maresca also said Erling Haaland, Elliot Anderson, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Joško Gvardiol and Rúben Dias had each been given three days off following the 2–1 defeat at Aston Villa. That makes their involvement in this cup tie unlikely. City have not announced a complete starting XI, so other possible selections should not be presented as confirmed.

The Cup meeting comes before a Premier League rematch between the clubs at the Etihad on Saturday, 31 October, making the handling of minutes and recovery an important part of the preparation.

Brighton arrive under Fabian Hürzeler after a 3–2 comeback victory away to Manchester United in the previous Carabao Cup round. Recent reports identify Kaoru Mitoma among the players unavailable, while Ferdi Kadioglu and Chema Andrés need assessment after being forced off against Liverpool.

Mats Wieffer and Yankuba Minteh have been discussed as potential returning options, but availability does not mean either will start. The final Brighton injury update and confirmed lineup should be checked when the club releases its matchday squad.

Gerónimo Rulli is the only Manchester City starter specifically confirmed by the manager in the official pre-match update reviewed for this article. Neither club has released its complete starting XI. Predicted lineups circulating before kick-off are editorial projections, not official team announcements.

Check Manchester City vs Brighton confirmed lineups on SportPesa Score when available, along with any late team news or changes to the match schedule.

Manchester City come into the fixture after a 2–1 Premier League loss away to Aston Villa. They reached the Carabao Cup fourth round with a 5–0 win over Norwich City. The domestic cup therefore presents an immediate opportunity to respond, although the team selected may differ substantially from City’s latest league lineup.

Brighton came from two goals down to defeat Manchester United 3–2 at Old Trafford in the previous round. Hürzeler’s side have also shown attacking quality in league play, giving City a different challenge from the opponents they faced in their earlier cup tie.

Manchester City have generally held the stronger long-term head-to-head record, but recent meetings have been more competitive. Their last Premier League meeting in January 2026 ended 1–1 at the Etihad. A head-to-head record provides context, not a dependable forecast of a knockout match that may feature rotated teams.

The clubs will also meet in the Premier League on 31 October 2026. The two fixtures serve different competitions: this Wednesday game is a single Carabao Cup knockout tie, while Saturday’s meeting is a league match.

City’s build-up against Brighton’s pressure. Hürzeler’s side can press aggressively and commit players forward. How City progress through the first line of pressure will influence where the contest is played.

Finishing chances without regular starters. With Haaland among the players given time off, City’s attacking combinations and finishing responsibilities may change. The team sheet will establish which forwards get the opportunity.

Managing transitions and defensive cover. Brighton have created chances with attacking numbers, but both sides will need to protect the spaces left when possession is lost. These battles are more useful to watch than making an unsupported score prediction.

The match kicks off at 20:30 SAST. For Manchester City vs Brighton live updates, team lineups and results, use SportPesa Score. TV rights and channel schedules can change, so check your local broadcaster’s confirmed match listing rather than assuming a particular channel.

For further club coverage, read our Manchester City vs PSG Champions League preview or explore the Fleetwood Town vs Arsenal Carabao Cup coverage.

Wednesday, 28 October 2026, in the fourth round.

20:30 SAST, equivalent to 19:30 BST.

At the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.

Enzo Maresca manages Manchester City and Fabian Hürzeler manages Brighton.

Only Gerónimo Rulli has been explicitly confirmed as a City starter in the pre-match club update reviewed. Full starting XIs are released closer to kick-off.

Their January 2026 Premier League meeting ended 1–1.

SportPesa Score provides match information, scores and updates.

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Manchester City vs Brighton brings a knockout place at stake and an unusual back-to-back fixture schedule. The strongest pre-match indicators are the confirmed kick-off, City’s planned rotation and Brighton’s injury assessments. Follow SportPesa Score for the confirmed lineups and final result, and check the official clubs for late team news.