Man City lineup vs. Brighton: Predicted XI for EFL Cup fourth-round tie

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca volition see making respective changes to his starting lineup for Wednesday’s EFL Cup fourth-round necktie against Brighton & Hove Albion astatine the Etihad Stadium.

While City are keen to support their EFL Cup crown, the Premier League remains the precedence and this midweek lucifer represents a suitable accidental for Maresca to freshen up his team, having antecedently stated that helium volition request to remainder immoderate of his elder stars amid a engaged fixture schedule.

Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was astatine responsibility for the 2nd extremity conceded successful City’s 2-1 Premier League nonaccomplishment astatine Aston Villa past weekend, could beryllium replaced betwixt the sticks by Geronimo Rulli, who made his City debut successful the third-round triumph implicit Norwich past month.

Matheus Nunes did not diagnostic against Villa owed to a insignificant musculus issue; helium could beryllium acceptable to commencement against Brighton, but Maresca whitethorn alternatively opt for either Rico Lewis oregon Abdukodir Khusanov astatine right-back.

Khusanov is besides a contender to statesman astatine centre-back alongside either Marc Guehi, Ruben Dias oregon Vitor Reis, portion Nico O'Reilly and Josko Gvardiol are acceptable to conflict for the left-back berth.

Ayyoub Bouaddi was an unused substitute against Villa and is seemingly successful enactment to gain a callback successful centre-midfield. With Mateo Kovacic besides a beardown contender to start, this could effect successful either oregon some of Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez making way.

Phil Foden, who has scored 4 goals successful his past 2 location starts for Man City, volition anticipation to displace Rayan Cherki successful the fig 10 position, portion chap academy postgraduate Ryan McAiddo oregon Allan could instrumentality the places of either Iliman Ndiaye oregon Jeremy Doku retired wide.

Maresca volition beryllium tempted to seat prima striker Erling Haaland, who played the afloat 90 minutes astatine Villa Park aft recovering from a sound to his foot. However, the Norwegian whitethorn proceed to pb the enactment and beryllium substituted astatine immoderate signifier successful the 2nd half, with City hoping to boast a commanding pb by then.

The alternate is that Haaland begins arsenic a substitute and Maresca puts his religion successful 17-year-old starlet Floyd Samba, who scored a brace connected his archetypal elder commencement for City successful the 5-0 thumping of Norwich successful circular three.

Manchester City imaginable starting lineup:

Rulli; Lewis, Khusanov, Dias, O'Reilly; Bouaddi, Kovacic; McAidoo, Foden, Doku; Haaland