Manchester — The step-up to the English Premier League presents a challenge to all promoted clubs, but hosting the title favourites Manchester City on day one gives Brighton and Hove Albion little chance to ease themselves into the top flight. Curiously, Brighton’s last home game in the top division of English football was against City in 1983. But the two clubs, who have endured plenty of ups and downs since, are barely recognisable from those days. Brighton’s home then was the Goldstone Ground, which was sold in 1997 as the club battled against possible bankruptcy, leaving it "homeless" until it moved into its current venue, the Amex Stadium, six years ago. The Manchester City line-up for their 1-0 win was all-British, but the 11 players who will take the field on Saturday will be drawn from around the world — with even more international talent having been recruited during the close-season. City’s Arab billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour has invested more than £200m in new players f...
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