Manchester City

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Enzo Maresca seemed to slot in seamlessly after taking on the daunting job of replacing Pep Guardiola, but he now needs to find solutions to Manchester City's stuttering form.

With chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and chief executive Ferran Soriano keeping a close eye on proceedings at Etihad Stadium on Saturday, Maresca has issues to address across the pitch.

City missed out on the title to Arsenal last season and are expected to be the closest challengers again - however, Maresca's side have conceded 10 goals in nine league games this term; double the amount that Mikel Arteta's men have let in.

Individual errors at the back are beginning to stack up - Marc Guehi, who was dropped for the defeat by Brighton, and Gianluigi Donnarumma were culpable at Villa Park and Matheus Nunes was the guilty party against the Seagulls.

The result also meant City lost consecutive Premier League games for the first time in 14 months.

"Sometimes it happens," said Maresca of the individual errors. "Unfortunately it is happening for our players, but it is part of the game. It happens many times against us.

"We need to analyse what we can do better and try to move on."

Maresca has been unequivocal about his number one, saying it is "Donnarumma plus 10" on the teamsheet, but defensive frailties mean City have now kept only one clean sheet in their past eight games.

The Italian, though, seems to still be trying to find the best combination in the middle of the park.

The ex-Chelsea boss usually starts with only two of those summer arrivals behind a number 10, but decided to go with all three and leave Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden on the bench on Saturday.

"I expected a physical game," Maresca said of his midfield make-up. "Analysing them, watching them, they are aggressive man to man. I watched the games they have played.

"It was a good idea to start with three physical midfielders and I was also thinking about the last 20-30 minutes to refresh with Rayan, Allan and Phil.

"In this moment, it is like this and we need just to move on."

Read the full piece here

Manchester City, Tottenham and Manchester United are among the clubs tracking Villarreal's 22-year-old United States defender Alex Freeman. (Football Insider), external

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Shamoon Hafez
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manager Enzo Maresca made a flawless start by winning his first seven league games in charge of Manchester City but has now hit his first sticky patch, seeing his side defeated at Aston Villa last Saturday and now beaten at home by Brighton.

Another individual error was their undoing, this time Matheus Nunes being the guilty party, failing to get enough purchase on Maxim De Cuyper's cross towards the far post and presenting Ayari with an opportunity that he could not miss.

The home side had opportunities in the final third too but lacked their usual clinical finishing in front of goal, failing to find the net for the first time in 25 Premier League matches despite having 21 shots at goal.

City needed penalties to edge past Brighton during the week but they extended their poor recent form against the Seagulls, now winless against the opposition in their past five league games.

Star man Erling Haaland had little to feed off, while Maresca needs to address his formula in midfield – the three-man deployment of Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi were often disjointed and lacking in cohesion.

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "A bit strange. The same feeling as after Aston Villa away. We did enough to deserve something more but we have to move on and try to win games.

"We created a good volume of offensive action. Sometimes you have to be more clinical and score but it's important that we create.

"We did everything to be honest. Sometimes you struggle to score and the important thing is we created the chances. The attitude was good, I have nothing to say about that or the performance. Players fought until the end and hopefully next time we are more lucky."

Hear more from Maresca on BBC Sounds here

Did you know?

• Manchester City have failed to score at home in the Premier League for the first time in 23 games, since a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham in August 2025.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Manchester City's performance

What did you make of Brighton's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.

There are eight games in the Premier League on Saturday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Chelsea v Manchester United (12:30)

• Bournemouth v Leeds United

• Brentford v Nottingham Forest

• Coventry City v Sunderland - first half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2, second half on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Hull City v Ipswich Town

• Manchester City v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Tottenham v Crystal Palace (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Aston Villa v Fulham (20:00)

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated.

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Noel Sliney
BBC Sport senior journalist

Top-flight leaders Manchester City were given an almighty scare at home by third-placed Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday but they have won their past 10 league games on Halloween.

After making a combined 16 changes to their starting line-ups in midweek, which City won on penalties, both sides will be back to full strength for Saturday's rematch in the league (15:00 GMT).

Signs of vulnerability for City

Moving on from Pep Guardiola was never likely to be easy for Manchester City but their status as league leaders and Carabao Cup quarter-finalists shows they remain an excellent side.

Nonetheless, City's 100% winning league record this season was ended by Aston Villa last Saturday and they were rattled by visitors Brighton in midweek before winning a penalty shootout.

One weakness of Enzo Maresca's City is that they can be open in midfield and invite pressure. They have faced nine shots from counter-attacks across their past five games in all competitions, compared to five in their first nine fixtures.

While just one counter-attack has led to a goal, City have followed a run of five clean sheets in six matches by conceding 11 times in five subsequent outings.

Only five teams in Europe's five biggest leagues have a worse recent defensive record in all competitions over that period.

Albion's least successful trip

Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler felt Manchester City "had the luck" during Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie, adding: "We have a great chance on Saturday to take revenge."

He has elected to keep his squad in the north-west in-between successive visits to the Etihad Stadium, which come amid a sequence of five away matches in a row. Brighton are winless from the first three, each in a different competition.

Albion, though, remain the league's top scorers and a point this weekend would give them their highest tally after nine games of a top-flight season.

They are unbeaten in four league matches against Manchester City, including back-to-back draws at the Etihad, but have never won away in this fixture in 16 attempts.

It's the most times Brighton have faced a league opponent away without ever winning, as well as being Manchester City's longest unbeaten home record against a team without ever losing.

Manchester City knocked Brighton out of the Carabao Cup on penalties on Wednesday but I don't think we learned too much because both sides made so many changes.

I backed both teams to win last week - and was wrong both times - but I felt City played well against Aston Villa and were a bit unlucky to lose, and the same applied to Brighton in their defeat against Liverpool. They definitely had enough chances to get something from the game.

I am covering this game for Radio 5 Live. There should be some goals in it and I can see Erling Haaland getting a couple of them.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The Premier League has been shaken up and the traditional "big six" clubs have struggled to maintain their position in recent years.

Though Manchester City and champions Arsenal feature in the top two and Liverpool and Chelsea occupy positions in the top six, Manchester United and Tottenham are loitering at the wrong end.

It means clubs like third-placed Brighton, as well as the likes of Aston Villa and Bournemouth, have broken into the European positions.

City host Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday and asked if the big six still exists, manager Enzo Maresca said: "I think every season you can have one or two surprises that they are there.

"Now the level is so similar that you can drop points against any team, you can win against any team. So it's more of a similar level."

Asked if it's good for the competition, the Italian replied: "Absolutely, it's very good for the Premier League. That's why probably so many people love the Premier League because you never know.

"You see also during the week what has happened. So it's always complicated."

Tasnim Chowdhury
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Brighton at Etihad Stadium (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Forward Antoine Semenyo, who is out with an injury, is "good" and completing recovery and therapy sessions, but it is "too early" to discuss his return.

• Maresca said playmaker Rayan Cherki can be a leader at the club but added: "It is important that all the players step up in these kinds of things." He also said Cherki and Phil Foden can "play together for sure" and that is "one more weapon for us".

• Maresca spoke about the pressure on goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma: "It's quite like this in terms of all the players, they make mistakes at some point of the season. Sometimes it costs points, sometimes not because we are lucky."

• Reflecting on his four months in charge, the Italian said his side are "going in the right direction". He added that "it always takes time to compete again" after changing manager after so many years, as well as players, adding: "The good thing about the club is that, in this moment, we are competing in all the competitions. We continue in the same way."

• On whether the concept of 'big six' still exists: "Every season you can have one or two surprises there [a different team in the top six]. The level now is so similar that you can drop points against any team and you can win against any team. It's very good for the Premier League. That's probably why so many people love the Premier League - because you never know."

• On what makes Brighton difficult opponents: "What they are doing - they are doing very good. On the ball and off the ball they are very aggressive [and they are] man-to-man oriented in all the games. They attack very well with so many players - full-back, wingers, attacking midfielders. They score many goals and create many chances against any team. It's going to be a tough game. Where they can be at the end of the season, I don't know."

Hit play above to hear more from Maresca or listen on BBC Sounds here

Listen to full commentary of Man City v Brighton on Saturday on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

All the key lines from Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Manchester City are favourites to sign 17-year-old United States winger Mathis Albert from Borussia Dortmund, with Chelsea also interested. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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We asked for your thoughts after Wednesday's EFL Cup game between Manchester City and Brighton.

Here are some of your comments:

Man City fans

Glynn: Enzo Maresca got out of jail with a poor team selection. They roughed us up so it was a moral victory. We now know what to expect on Saturday!

Harry: About what I expected from the B team. We were probably second best for the majority of the match against a fantastic Brighton side. I think the referee needed to be harsher. Rulli was fantastic and our subs made the difference. Getting a win under any circumstances was unexpected and very welcome. Credit to Brighton, showing us once again that there's a million better ways to spend £125m than Enzo Fernandez.

Brighton fans

David: So proud of Brighton to have been in the lead on two occasions and never gave up against probably the strongest current Premier League team so far this season. A horrible way to go out. Same again at the weekend, without penalties, please.

James: Albion needed to be more clinical. They had chance after chance to put the game to bed in the first half of the second half but weren't able to convert. Having said that, it was still an excellent performance and the quality of the football the boys are playing at the moment is fantastic.

Nick: Good performance. Better team on the night, should have put away one of our chances at 2-1 to kill it off. We didn't and paid the price. Had a slightly phoney feel to it, with the "main event" being on Saturday. Hopefully Hurzeler will use the disappointment to spark up a first league victory for the Albion at the Etihad.

Olly: Another good performance that should have ensured a win but for missed opportunities to finish the game off again. Unfortunately, our penalty shootout record is poor so another chance of a trophy is gone.

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Geronimo Rulli's penalty shootout heroics against Brighton in the Carabao Cup may have some questioning Gianluigi Donnarumma's spot at Manchester City, but manager Enzo Maresca has no doubt about his number one.

Rulli returned to the club in the summer from Marseille for a modest £1.7m to feature as a back-up to the Italy captain, but seemed to press his claims to challenge the jersey with an impressive display.

The 34-year-old dived full stretch to his left to save the last two penalties from Brighton's Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk to allow holders City to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition.

When asked if Rulli had put pressure on Donnarumma's spot, Maresca told BBC Sport: "No, absolutely not from my point of view.

"He is working well but Rulli knows exactly his role, there is no doubt about that. Saturday it will be Gigio plus 10."

Rulli is no stranger to being the hero in a penalty shootout.

In the 2021 Europa League final, he famously scored a penalty for Villarreal against Manchester United, before denying opposite number David de Gea to decide the marathon shootout and the destiny of the trophy.

If Rulli had not already ingratiated himself to City supporters with that moment against their rivals, then he will have rubberstamped the affection on Wednesday night.

The goalkeeper had spent the 2016-17 season at City without making a first-team appearance and returned to the club to replace James Trafford after the England international moved to Leeds for £45m.

It looks to be a canny piece of business from City.

Read more on Rulli and see below for Thursday's newspaper back pages which are on Rulli's penalty shootout heroics.

Image source, Star and Express

France forward Desire Doue, 21, is in contract talks with Paris St-Germain as the Ligue 1 side look to secure his long-term future in the face of interest from Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Shamoon Hafez
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

The only previous League Cup meeting came between Manchester City and Brighton came on 24 September 2008, 23 days after City's takeover by the Abu Dhabi Football Group.

On that night, Brighton – then a League One outfit – shocked a top-flight City side containing the likes of Kasper Schmeichel, Vincent Kompany and Daniel Sturridge on penalties to reach the next round.

It looked like being a repeat success on this occasion but Geronimo Rulli spoiled Brighton's latest trip to the north – the Seagulls had dumped out Manchester United across the city in the previous round.

In the first half, Diego Gomez and Georginio Rutter had shots from range in quick succession, both of which went straight into the grasp of Rulli, before Malick Yalcouye struck from close range.

Before that, Rayan Cherki had been the liveliest player, going on a weaving run before scuffing a shot straight at Steele, while a free-kick from the edge of the box failed to clear the wall.

And the Frenchman proved to be protagonist as the match wore by helping his side through.

It was his free-kick which Vitor Reis converted and then the former Lyon man stepped up to score City's fifth penalty in the shootout - allowing Rulli's superb stop from Dunk to be the match-winning moment.

City will now be confident of retaining their trophy after seeing last season's beaten finalists Arsenal stunned by Fleetwood Town on Tuesday.

Brighton will not have to wait long to try and gain revenge for this result, heading back to Etihad Stadium to face City in the Premier League on Saturday (kick-off 15:00 GMT).

Man City boss Enzo Maresca praised the five players who took penalties in the shootout win over Brighton.

Phil Foden, Enzo Fernandez, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki were all successful while Mateo Kovacic's miss ultimately did not matter as Geronimo Rulli denied Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk.

"To be honest, since I've been here we never practiced penalties."

"We're very happy with the five, even Mateo. It always happens, the one that scored during the 90 minutes, and then misses the penalty."

On Jeremy Doku's introduction: "I'm not sure he changed the game, but for sure he made an impact," said Maresca of Doku's introduction. "This is the reason why they are there – when they start from the beginning, to try to do their best, and if they go on from the bench, to try to make an impact."

"I was happy with the way we planned the game, with the rotation, and especially I was very, very, very happy with the ones that were playing."

Listen to Maresca above and get more City audio here