Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has told his players to expect a tough match against Brighton this weekend. The two teams will meet again just days after a dramatic cup match.
City, the defending League Cup champions, managed to beat Brighton on penalties to reach the quarter-finals last Wednesday. The game ended 2-2 after City came back twice to equalize at the Etihad Stadium.
Both teams made 16 changes for that cup game. Now, Maresca and Brighton's coach Fabian Hurzeler are likely to bring back their strongest squads for the Premier League match at the Etihad on Saturday.
City is at the top of the table, level on points with Arsenal, while Brighton sits in third, just five points behind the leaders.
“They (Brighton) are in a brilliant moment,” Maresca said. “They are winning games, they are scoring goals. They are scoring many goals every game, three, four, five goals a game.
“I’ve watched all their Premier League games since we started. Since the first day, against Arsenal, (Crystal) Palace, Liverpool, they always go front foot, man to man.
“We knew that this was a tough game and they’re going to be exactly the same on Saturday,” Maresca added.
Brighton took the lead after 30 minutes when Malick Yalcouye guided Georginio Rutter’s shot past Geronimo Rulli from close range.
Mateo Kovacic brought City level 20 minutes later with a great shot that curled into the far corner from 25 yards.
Rutter restored Brighton’s lead just after halftime, finishing from Jaouen Hadjam’s pass.
Vitor Reis equalized for City in the 72nd minute when Rayan Cherki’s free-kick was deflected in.
Kovacic’s penalty was saved by Jason Steele in the shoot-out. But Rulli stopped Brighton’s Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk to send City through to the last eight.
City’s season is currently overshadowed by last month’s ruling on over 100 charges of breaking Premier League financial rules.
The club has appealed and denies any wrongdoing. They could face serious punishment unless they win the appeal.
No punishment has been decided yet. Maresca, who trusts City’s management, is focused on the games. His team is set to play against third-tier Bradford in the League Cup quarter-finals.
“It’s a different competition but the ambition has to be the same,” Maresca said. He took over from Pep Guardiola, who left after a successful decade at the Etihad.
“This is a new project with new players and a new manager. It started three months ago.
“We need to do our business. That is winning games and, at the moment, we are doing that.”
Brighton will stay in the northwest between the two matches instead of traveling back home.
“Having two away games and not sleeping in your own bed, you can’t see it as an advantage but we will try to make the best of it,” Hurzeler said. “We will not try to find any excuses.
He added, “We’ll come back with full energy, full enthusiasm and we go on Saturday.”
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