Man City v Brighton preview: Maresca has everyone bar Semenyo for cup rematch
Man City v Brighton is back on three days after their Carabao Cup shoot-out, with Enzo Maresca saying everyone except Antoine Semenyo is available.
Man City v Brighton comes round again just three days after their Carabao Cup thriller, and Enzo Maresca says his whole squad bar Antoine Semenyo is available for Saturday’s Premier League rematch.
Main image: DSN graphic
The leaders host third-placed Brighton at the Etihad at 15:00 UK, with Craig Pawson in charge. Both sides lost last weekend, and both will want a quick answer.
Man City v Brighton, part two
Wednesday’s cup tie finished 2-2 before City edged the shoot-out 4-3. Brighton led twice, with Georginio Rutter scoring and setting one up, but Mateo Kovačić and Vitor Reis pulled City level each time. Gerónimo Rulli then saved from Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk to send City into the quarter-finals.
Maresca made nine changes that night. Erling Haaland, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rúben Dias, Elliot Anderson and Joško Gvardiol were all rested rather than injured, so expect most of them back in the starting line-up.
Team news: Semenyo the only absentee
Speaking on Friday, Maresca kept it short: apart from Semenyo, everyone is available. The forward hurt his knee against Ipswich earlier this month and was reported to face up to eight weeks out. Matheus Nunes and Iliman Ndiaye were missing from Wednesday’s squad, but Maresca’s update suggests both are in contention.
Brighton have good news too. Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer both came off the bench in midweek after injury, Charalampos Kostoulas was rested and is available, and Fabian Hürzeler expects Ferdi Kadıoğlu and Chema Andrés to be options after hip problems. Pascal Struijk is back training but unlikely to be ready, while Kaoru Mitoma, Evan Ferguson and Femi Azeez remain out.
Form and table
City top the table with seven wins from eight, but their 100 per cent start ended with a 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa last Saturday. Brighton were beaten 2-0 at Liverpool a day later, but they have conceded only seven league goals all season.
| Man City | Brighton | |
|---|---|---|
| Position | 1st | 3rd |
| Points | 21 | 16 |
| W-D-L | 7-0-1 | 5-1-2 |
| Goals for-against | 20-9 | 23-7 |
| Last league game | L 2-1 at Aston Villa | L 2-0 at Liverpool |
City have also had to grind out results this season, such as their 1-0 win at Charlton. Off the pitch, the long-running 115 charges case remains in the background.
It is a big Saturday in the Premier League, with Chelsea v Man Utd also on the card. Our sister site DGBN has covered City’s summer business, including when Man City opened talks with Chelsea over a Fernández move.
