Manchester City remain without a host of key players heading into their Premier League clash with Brighton on Saturday.
Man City boss Pep Guardiola has described the end of the season as “ten finals” for his side as they desperately try to ensure they qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The champions sit fifth in the Premier League table, which could be enough to secure entry into Europe’s elite club competition if UEFA’s co-efficient affords English clubs five spots.
Still, City lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest last weekend and remain difficult to trust to any significant degree.
Guardiola is without most of his first-choice defence, too, which is hardly ideal preparation to face a team as good as Brighton as things stand.
Nathan Ake has joined the likes of John Stones and Manuel Akankji on the sidelines, with the Dutchman having undergone surgery on a fractured foot injury. As such, Ake is expected to miss between ten and eleven weeks of action.
Oscar Bobb and Rodri remain long-term absentees, leaving Guardiola with limited options with which to tinker.
None of Kevin De Bruyne, Mateo Kovacic nor Omar Marmoush started at Forest and could be involved from the off when the in-form Seagulls come to town on Saturday afternoon.
Man City predicted XI: Ederson; Nunes, Dias, Khusanov, Gvardiol; Nico; Savinho, Silva, Foden, Doku
Injured: Bobb, Rodri, Ake, Akanji, Stones
Time and date: 3pm GMT on Saturday 15 March, 2025
Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester
TV channel and live stream: Not available in the UK
