LONDON – Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side are in an unusual position, having two games in hand on their English Premier League title rivals before they travel to Brighton & Hove Albion on April 25.
The holders – who are on 73 points after 32 games – find themselves trailing four points behind Arsenal, who defeated Chelsea 5-0 on April 23, and one point behind Liverpool before the Reds took on Everton on April 24 in a match that kicked off after press time.
Despite City being in third, both Arsenal and Liverpool would have played 34 games by the time Guardiola’s men take on the Seagulls at the Amex – but crucially, they will win the title if they win all their remaining games.
Despite having the advantage, Guardiola was wary of every opponent, as he normally is.
“Tomorrow is one of the toughest games of the season. If you put in my calendar, it’s one of the toughest ones, for the way they play,” the City boss said on April 24.
“(My) admiration (for Brighton manager Roberto de Zerbi) is growing every season... The way they play is always there. He has done, is doing, an incredible job in Brighton.”
City have been lagging behind in the number of league games played mainly due to their FA Cup commitments.
Just three days after exiting the Champions League quarter-finals on penalties to Real Madrid, Guardiola’s side booked their spot in the FA Cup final after beating Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley on April 20.
They will face Manchester United – who beat second-tier Coventry City on penalties – in the title decider on May 25.
There will be no second successive treble for City, but Guardiola will hope to retain the FA Cup and the Premier League – he is aiming to win an unprecedented fourth straight English top-flight title.
“We are in the final of the FA Cup, we made the latter stages of the Champions League and in the Premier League we are there,” Guardiola added.
“But you can arrive to the end like this and in one week lose all titles. So every game is important now, as every mistake and setback is difficult. But we have been here many times, so we know what we are playing for.”
City’s home record has been impeccable, having put together a club-record 42-game unbeaten run, but they must now turn their attention to four away league matches in their next five.
On the road they are not doing too badly too, with 19 points from a possible 21 in their last seven away fixtures.
Star striker Erling Haaland has been ruled out of the game, while John Stones and Phil Foden have been passed fit.
De Zerbi has to cope without Solly March, Kaoru Mitoma, Jack Hinshelwood, James Milner, Evan Ferguson, Pervis Estupinan, Billy Gilmour and Tariq Lamptey. But Julio Enciso and Adam Webster may feature.
The Seagulls, who are languishing in mid-table, have just three wins in their 13 Premier League games in 2024. They have also failed to win their last four.
But with four of their last six matches at home, de Zerbi will aim to make the most of it at the Amex, where they have lost only one of their previous 15 in all competitions.
