Manchester City will travel to face Brighton this Thursday, April 25th, in a match that could prove pivotal in the Premier League title race. City currently hold a narrow edge over Arsenal and Liverpool, but their fixture list could see them fall four points behind by the time they take to the field. Pep Guardiola’s side have not played in the Premier League for over a week due to their FA Cup semi-final commitments. In their absence, both Arsenal and Liverpool have moved above them in the table with victories over Wolves and Fulham, respectively. Both of those teams are also in action this midweek, meaning that even a win for City will not automatically return them to the top of the standings. However, they would still have a game in hand. Phil Foden is approaching a significant goalscoring landmark and is enjoying the best individual season of his career. The 23-year-old has spent his entire career at City, rising from the academy to become a treble winner. He has blossomed into the team’s superstar, especially after Kevin De Bruyne’s serious injury at the start of the season. Oasis legend Noel Gallagher has already stated that Foden will soon be considered Guardiola’s greatest legacy at City. The England international is closing in on his 50th Premier League goal ahead of a reunion with one of his favorite opponents, Brighton. Foden has scored more Premier League goals against Brighton than any other team, netting six in his last seven appearances against the Seagulls. He did, however, fail to score in the 2-1 win in October’s reverse fixture. The home side will be without a number of key players due to injuries, including long-term absentees Solly March, Kaoru Mitoma, and Jack Hinshelwood. Brighton are also likely to be without James Milner, Adam Webster, and Tariq Lamptey, while late fitness tests will be conducted on Julio Enciso, Evan Ferguson, and Billy Gilmour. City have been boosted by the return of John Stones to training on Tuesday, but both Erling Haaland and Phil Foden missed the session. Neither player has been definitively ruled out of the contest, and the champions have no other injury concerns. talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan has criticized Guardiola for his recent comments about the fixture scheduling. Reacting to the City manager, the former Crystal Palace owner said: ‘Let’s have it right. The reason why you have one of the most expensively assembled squads, the reason why football people are paid ridiculous amounts, is because of broadcast revenue.’ ‘So you can’t take all of the upside and none of the downside. I watched his interview after the game with Gary Lineker, who was lost for words, which I always think is a bonus.’ ‘But he came out with this ridiculous martyr syndrome. If City had beaten Real Madrid, you probably wouldn’t have heard the same outlook from him.’ ‘You are in the business of sport, your achievements have taken you to the higher echelons of games, and the fixture schedule is a result of it.’ ‘You have a squad with it, you have the players capable of dealing with it, shut up now. For me, it is beyond the pale of acceptance.’ The Premier League clash between Brighton and Manchester City will take place on Thursday, April 25th, with kick-off scheduled for 8 pm. talkSPORT will provide live and exclusive coverage from the Amex Stadium.
Manchester City Aim to Regain Control in Title Race Against Brighton
