Two in-form teams meet on Wednesday night as newly-crowned champions Manchester City travel to Brighton, who are on course for a top-six finish in the Premier League (20:00).
City are now focused on completing the treble, with the FA Cup and Champions League finals to come, while Brighton will be eager to sign off their memorable campaign with a victory in their last home game of the season.
- Brighton or draw double chance
- Under 2.5 goals
- Evan Ferguson to score at anytime
Brighton To Frustrate City
Manchester City's fifth title in six seasons was confirmed by Arsenal's defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, allowing Pep Guardiola to rest several star players against Chelsea on Sunday.
Even so, Julian Alvarez's strike gave City a 12th straight league win but that run may come to an end against a Brighton side who love taking on the big clubs.
Guardiola's team selection will be crucial, of course, but the Seagulls are worth backing to stand firm, having beaten Manchester United and Arsenal already this month.
Brighton have done the double over United and Chelsea this term, also beating Liverpool at home in the league and the FA Cup, and they should relish the challenge of facing the champions.
Roberto De Zerbi's men have had some off days in recent weeks, losing 4-1 at Newcastle, 3-1 at Nottingham Forest and 5-1 at home to Everton, but they are in the top six on merit and can frustrate a City side who have at least one eye on their upcoming finals against Manchester United and Inter Milan.
BRIGHTON OR DRAW DOUBLE CHANCE
City Win A Third Consecutive Title
City Away Form Low-Scoring
Brighton and Manchester City are two of the most attractive footballing teams in the Premier League but, given the context of this game, under 2.5 goals is worth a bet.
The Seagulls have kept clean sheets in nine of their 18 home games, including shutouts against Newcastle, Manchester United and Liverpool, and two of their five defeats at the Amex Stadium were by a 1-0 margin against Tottenham and Fulham.
It is hard to pick holes in City's league record but they have won only one of their six away games against top-eight clubs and just 33 of their 93 goals have been scored on the road.
Their last five away matches in the Champions League have ended 0-0, 0-0, 1-1, 1-1 and 1-1 and under 2.5 goals has been a winning bet in eight of their 14 trips to teams outside the Premier League's top four.
Ferguson On The Scoresheet
Manchester City youngsters Rico Lewis, Cole Palmer and Sergio Gomez started Sunday's win against Chelsea, along with 23-year-old Argentina World Cup winner Alvarez and Phil Foden, a five-time Premier League winner at the age of just 22.
However, Brighton also have some seriously talented young players and Republic of Ireland striker Evan Ferguson can enhance his reputation with a goal against the champions.
The 18-year-old scored his first Premier League goal in the 4-2 home defeat to Arsenal on New Year's Eve and he has kicked on in 2023, despite an ankle injury that kept him out of the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United.
His brace against Southampton last weekend took his Brighton tally to ten goals in just 14 starts and 13 substitute appearances in all competitions and he had five shots in just 65 minutes against the relegated Saints.
EVAN FERGUSON TO SCORE ANYTIME
