Man City have an obvious Arsenal response but Pep Guardiola will want more

Manchester City face Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday and the Manchester Evening News has taken a look at all of the talking points ahead of the game.

Manchester City could do with a response to their defeats to Arsenal and Wolves.

They don't really need one from the point of view that the Premier League season is still very long, but consecutive league defeats have statisticians licking their lips that Pep Guardiola and his side could have veered on certainties to the title to a crisis club. Another defeat could see them fall five points off the top of the table.

However, the league is so close and so early that three points against Brighton will take City back into first - at least for a few hours. Unless Arsenal win away at Chelsea, they will stay there until at least Monday when Tottenham host Fulham.

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While a win would quieten a lot of talk around City, more important in the long term is to see an improvement in performances. Rodri has something to prove upon his return after a silly three-game suspension and Erling Haaland could do with first being found by his teammates and then finishing the chances that they hopefully create.

A bit of rustiness after an international break is always to be expected, but it would help City going forward ahead of two big games coming up to know that they have addressed some of the issues over the last few weeks.

It is very rare that City are outscored in the Premier League over the course of the season yet Brighton currently have more. However, only the bottom three have let in more goals than the Seagulls.

That would