Rodri returns as Julian Alvarez decision made - Man City predicted team vs Brighton

Manchester City welcome Brighton and Hove Albion to the Etihad on Saturday afternoon and Pep Guardiola will be relieved to have Rodri back available.

The Blues have lost their last two league matches against Wolves and Arsenal, following elimination from the Carabao Cup after defeat at Newcastle United. Rodri was absent for all three, having been sent off for grabbing Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White by the throat.

But after featuring for Spain during the international break, he is available and Guardiola will waste no time in getting his anchor back in the starting line-up. In the 27-year-old's absence, City have tried several options in the deep midfield role but failed to match the quality both in and out of possession.

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Rodri will almost certainly return as the deepest midfielder, allowing Mateo Kovacic to take up preferred role a little further forward. The Croatian has enjoyed a great start to life with City but struggled in recent weeks and was lucky not to get sent off against Arsenal.

Guardiola has a big decision to make in the most advanced midfield role, having seen Julian Alvarez play 79 minutes for Argentina in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The 23-year-old has been City's best attacking player in recent weeks, however, and played the full game against West Ham after the last international break.

Alvarez has earned his place in the starting line-up and should keep it behind Erling Haaland. The Norwegian failed to register a single shot on target against Arsenal and hasn't scored in his last three City games, although a brace for his country could get the ball