Manchester Metropolis return to motion again on the Etihad Stadium in opposition to Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend within the final fixture earlier than the March worldwide break.
Pep Guardiola and his gamers need to acquire a useful three factors within the race for UEFA Champions League soccer because the competitors for a top-five league end heats up with 9 video games remaining on this marketing campaign.
Metropolis come into the competition following a comparatively flat efficiency all spherical final weekend in opposition to Nottingham Forest on the Metropolis Floor, with an analogous story unfolding to many different video games this season: a number of the ball, however created little or no.
Possibilities had been few and much between all through, with each side struggling to carve out something clear-cut. The closest both facet got here to opening the scoring within the first half was a long-range strike from Nico, putting the skin of the submit as Matz Sels may solely watch.
The second half introduced extra of the identical; the Blues as soon as once more have the vast majority of the ball, however Forest standing their floor and placing in an exemplary defensive efficiency, with Ola Aina and Neco Williams giving Metropolis’s large males a tricky activity.
With lower than ten minutes remaining, Morgan Gibbs-White switched the ball out to Callum Hudson-Odoi, who charged at Josko Gvardiol, permitting for a shot in direction of the close to submit and beating Ederson through a slight deflection within the course of.
Metropolis’s opponents this Saturday come into the sport in wonderful type, securing six consecutive victories throughout all competitions, netting 11 targets in latest Premier League outings whereas additionally remaining defensively strong, conceding simply two.
By way of the league desk, each will probably be fixated on a win to bolster their place within the tight battle for European soccer subsequent season, as solely two factors separate Metropolis in fifth and Aston Villa in eighth.
Brighton at the moment sit seventh on 46 factors – a degree under the Premier League champions on 47 – as they too look to complete the season sturdy and safe a spot in a continental competitors subsequent season.
A win this weekend appears nearly mandatory for the Blues after dropped factors to Forest final week which these in and across the European locations seized upon with Newcastle, Aston Villa, Chelsea, and this week’s guests Brighton all selecting three factors.
Metropolis need to rise to 4th with a recreation in hand on the present holders of the place, Chelsea, and lengthen the hole with Newcastle in sixth to 3 factors, additionally with a recreation in hand on the Magpies, as they take part within the Carabao Cup Remaining this Sunday.
Brighton will probably be trying to make a press release and guarantee these round them know they’re within the race for European soccer too, in an analogous place to Manchester Metropolis, with aspirations of securing a spot on soccer’s largest stage subsequent season within the UEFA Champions League.
The implications are large for each golf equipment’ campaigns with eyes set on the identical objective, and each hope to place themselves in a safer league place by securing a win within the final fixture earlier than the March worldwide break.
Right here’s all the things you want to know forward of this enthralling conflict!
Match Particulars
Brighton and Hove Albion journey to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester Metropolis this Saturday afternoon with kick-off scheduled for 15:00 (UK).
Match Officers
The Premier League have confirmed that Simon Hooper would be the referee to take cost of this contest as Fabian Hürzeler visits the Etihad Stadium for the primary time as his Brighton & Hove Albion facet takes on Manchester Metropolis.
Try the complete checklist of match officers under!
Group Information
Manchester Metropolis have had no gamers return from harm since their conflict with Nottingham Forest, and as such Nathan Aké and Manuel Akanji stay dominated out after each efficiently present process surgical procedure on respective points.
John Stones can also be sidelined for between 10 and 11 weeks, in accordance with supervisor Pep Guardiola throughout latest media duties, following his thigh harm in the course of the house conflict with Actual Madrid again in February.
It’s unclear when Rodri will return to motion or first-team coaching too, however the Spaniard seems to be recovering effectively as Manchester Metropolis’s quantity 16 has been pictured again coaching with a ball at his toes.
Oscar Bobb‘s restoration appears to be taking longer than anticipated, with the Norwegian nonetheless out following a leg fracture in August and a setback courtesy of an ankle drawback in coaching in early February. Metropolis’s budding starlet has additionally been disregarded of Norway’s squad this month.
The guests even have an intensive harm checklist together with veteran James Milner and central defender Igor, each out longer-term. Additionally a doubt are membership captain Lewis Dunk (belly), Joel Veltman (ankle), Ferdi Kadioglu (toe), Matthew O’Reilly (knee) and Jason Steele (shoulder).
Head To Head
Within the final encounter between these two, Erling Haaland gave Manchester Metropolis the lead early within the recreation as his facet placed on a dominant first-half efficiency which, in fact, ought to have seen themselves lead by multiple objective on the interval.
A well-known story for the Premier League champions defensively this season then unfolded late on as Brighton made Metropolis pay for alternatives they did not capitalise on within the first 45 as they scored two quick-fire targets and shocked Pep Guardiola’s facet, coming again to win 2-1.
Metropolis traditionally have an excellent file in opposition to the seagulls, because the Blues have confronted Brighton 26 instances throughout all competitions and have gained 17 of these earlier conferences, drawing 4 and dropping 5.
Statistics
Manchester Metropolis have by no means misplaced a house league match in opposition to Brighton (W12 D2), successful every of the final 10 in a row. It’s probably the most they’ve confronted an opponent at house with out ever dropping of their league historical past (14).
Brighton need to full their first-ever league double over Manchester Metropolis in what’s the fifteenth completely different marketing campaign wherein they’ve met.
Manchester Metropolis have misplaced 9 Premier League video games this season, the joint-most league defeats that Pep Guardiola has suffered in a marketing campaign in his managerial profession (additionally 9 in 2019-20). The final reigning champions to lose 10+ Premier League video games in a season had been Chelsea in 2017-18 (10), whereas Man Metropolis final suffered 10 league defeats in a season in 2015-16 (10).
Brighton are at the moment having fun with the longest ongoing successful run within the Premier League of any facet (4 video games). It’s the Seagulls’ longest league successful run since April 2017 within the Championship (5) and the joint-longest ever within the high flight (additionally 4 from April-Might 1981).
Man Metropolis have misplaced three Premier League house video games this season, as many as they suffered on the Etihad in 2021-22 (2), 2022-23 (1) and 2023-24 (0) mixed. They misplaced 2-0 in opposition to Liverpool final day trip, solely dropping consecutive house league video games as soon as underneath Pep Guardiola (April/Might 2021).
Manchester Metropolis have conceded 38 Premier League targets this season, solely transport extra in a season underneath Pep Guardiola in 2016-17 (39). In all competitions, their 64 targets conceded this time period is their most since 2015-16 (65).
Man Metropolis striker Erling Haaland has been concerned in 99 Premier League targets in simply 93 appearances (83 targets, 16 assists). A objective or help on this recreation (or certainly any of his subsequent six appearances) will see him turn into the primary participant to succeed in 100 objective involvements in fewer than 100 video games.
How To Watch
For viewers in the UK, the match won’t be televised because of the 3PM blackout rule, however audio protection and protection will nonetheless be regionally out there on BBC Radio Manchester.
For viewers in the USA, the sport may be streamed stay on Peacock, with motion getting underway from 1 PM (EST).
You will discover the complete international TV listings for this match
Metropolis Xtra may have full stay protection out there on our , , and channels all through Wednesday night, with content material additionally offered on and !