
Date: Thursday 25th April, 2024
Time: 8:00 pm
Stadium The American Express Community Stadium
Referee Jarred Gillett (Australia)
Goal Scorer:
Brighton
Brighton are still having to cope without long-term absentees Solly March (knee), Kaoru Mitoma (back) and Jack Hinshelwood (foot), and Thursday's game is also set to come too soon for James Milner (thigh), Adam Webster (unspecified) and Tariq Lamptey (muscle).
Pervis Estupinan was forced off early in the first half of last week's draw with Burnley after sustaining an ankle problem and he will be assessed ahead of kickoff along with doubtful trio Enciso (knock), Evan Ferguson (ankle) and Billy Gilmour (knee).
Igor Julio or Valentin Barco - who was linked with Man City in January before joining the Seagulls - could slot in at left-back if Estupinan is not deemed fit to start, while Ansu Fati, who scored in the reverse fixture at the Etihad, will battle with the likes of Simon Adingra, Facundo Buonanotte, Adam Lallana and Joao Pedro for a start in attack.
Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:
Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Igor; Gross, Baleba; Adingra, Lallana, Pedro; Welbeck
Manchester City
As for Man City, they are sweating over the fitness of top scorer Erling Haaland who was forced to miss last weekend's FA Cup semi-final with a niggling muscle issue. The Norwegian was not spotted in training on Tuesday along with in-form attacker Phil Foden, and both players have emerged as doubts for Thursday.
Rotation, where possible, is expected from Guardiola considering a number of his players are suffering from fatigue - Rodri recently admitted he is in need of a rest but he could be given the nod to start again in midfield, while Bernardo Silva, who has trained, stated after the FA Cup semi-final that he was "feeling his left hamstring" and "right calf" so the playmaker is set to be assessed ahead of kickoff.
John Stones and Ruben Dias, who have also trained, had their minutes managed last weekend as they each played for 45 minutes against Chelsea. The defensive duo are in contention to start against Brighton, though, as are Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and Kevin De Bruyne, who have all recently shaken off minor complaints.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Gvardiol; Rodri, Kovacic; Foden, De Bruyne, Doku; Alvarez
Prediction: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-3 Manchester City
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