Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca warned his players that getting tactical balance right is essential to stopping aggressive Brighton at the Etihad Stadium. Maresca also confirmed winger Antoine Semenyo remains the club's only injury absentee.
City brace for immediate rematch against high-flying Seagulls
Premier League leaders Manchester City host third-placed Brighton at the Etihad Stadium just three days after their dramatic Carabao Cup encounter. City progressed on penalties following a 2-2 draw, setting up a high-stakes league clash.
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler declared his desire for revenge following Wednesday's cup exit.
Maresca expects another severe test against the league's surprise high-flyers.
Maresca warns against Brighton's aggressive attack
Maresca highlighted Brighton's man-to-man pressing and direct attacking style as major danger areas for his defense. "This season they are a bit different in style compared to last year and two years ago when I was in Chelsea," Maresca explained.
"This season they are much more man to man, a bit more direct in the way they attack but the way they attack is always front foot and aggressive."
"They can score three, four, five goals against any team. They create many chances. That’s why you need the right balance... It’s going to be a tough game," the Italian warned.
Semenyo remains sole absentee amid squad rotation
Addressing team news, Maresca confirmed that winger Antoine Semenyo remains sidelined with an injury sustained against Ipswich Town. "They are all available. Apart from Antoine Semenyo, the rest are all available," Maresca confirmed.
"He’s good. He’s in a good mood. He’s in the building making the recovery sessions and the therapy that he needs but it’s too early for now."
Stars including Erling Haaland, Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, and Gianluigi Donnarumma return to the squad after being rested in midweek.
City maintain one-game-at-a-time focus
Despite upcoming trips to RB Leipzig and Nottingham Forest, Maresca refused to look beyond Saturday's match.
"I’m thinking about tomorrow. Just game by game," Maresca asserted.
City focus entirely on securing victory over Brighton at the Etihad Stadium.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
