Brighton & Hove Albion (A) - Wed 24th May, 20:00 | Pre-Match Thread

[Tangled up in blue.]

You would think the players would want to see the league out with two more wins, they'll be buzzing now

 

[TrentGrisham]

Does Pep continue to rest the 'main' XI up until the FA Cup final or does he start getting them back into the swing of things vs a good team in Brighton and Brentford?

 

[youngbob]

Does Pep continue to rest the 'main' XI up until the FA Cup final or does he start getting them back into the swing of things vs a good team in Brighton and Brentford?

Few faces rested against Brighton. Expect a full team against Brentford.

 

[Ducado]

Thing is the team needs to maintain momentum going into the two big finals, and playing is better than training

 

[kaz7]

A win for me, 2-0 as they will be on the beach with Europe wrapped up and we will have our weaker side out.

Otherwise 3-0.

They are either in europa or conference , they still need a win to decide , dont they ?

 

[northstandgiveusasong]

Ederson
Rico
Dias
Akanji
Laporte

Rodri
Bernie
KDB

Mahrez
Haaland
Grealish

3-1 to us


Ortega, Philips and Gundo to come on for Ederson, Rodri and KDB at half time.
Foden and Alvarez to come on as subsitute later in the match for Mahrez and Haaland.

He might start Phillips in this one...

 

[MCFC1993]

They are either in europa or conference , they still need a win to decide , dont they ?

No they technically need a point but I don't think they'll need anything.

They have to lose an 18 goal swing to Aston Villa, which would be a 6-0 loss to us and then a 6-0 loss to Villa on the last day of the season or something along those lines.

All very unlikely, so they should be good for the Europa League without needing a point.

 

[Ghostofmerlin]

I predict a lot of kicking it around at the mid pitch line. Ederson will probably have the most completed passes for the match.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

Brighton 8 - 0 Manchester City

;)

 

[stan bowles]

I get what you are saying but I think Walker knows his body and he always strikes me as someone who wants to play when he is in form just to keep his engine going (de Bruyne and Rodri are the same).

Pep usually gets these calls right. I'd start Walker v Brentford and then have him ready for the Cup FInal.

 

[mancityscot]

expecting a mixed team for this one. Something like:

Ederson

Lewis Stones Laporte Akanji

Phillips Gundogan

Foden De Bruyne Grealish

Alvarez

 

[Gorbachev]

Does Pep continue to rest the 'main' XI up until the FA Cup final or does he start getting them back into the swing of things vs a good team in Brighton and Brentford?

I would be surprised if Pep just allows us to cruise the next two games. He will want the 94 points to give us a similar target next season and for other teams going for the title the knowledge that 90 points is bare minimum if you want to compete with City next season.

We have set some really high levels in recent months, to just throw them out of the window for 2 weeks is not ideal.

Keep the unbeaten run going.

 

[supercity88]

Brighton are an excellent team and they've played some fantastic football this season.

I'd be going strong in this one to keep momentum up and give the lads a thorough work out before rotating against Brentford and working towards the Cup final. We can't rest everyone, we need to keep form and fitness up so I'd go strong in this one. Still 10 days until the cup final so plenty of time to rest. Makes more sense to rest them next Sunday.

 

[richards30]

ederson
lewis
akanji
Laporte
Ake
Rodri
De Bruyne
Gundogan
Foden
Bernardo
Alvarez

 

[Gremlin]

Brighton are an excellent team and they've played some fantastic football this season.

I'd be going strong in this one to keep momentum up and give the lads a thorough work out before rotating against Brentford and working towards the Cup final. We can't rest everyone, we need to keep form and fitness up so I'd go strong in this one. Still 10 days until the cup final so plenty of time to rest. Makes more sense to rest them next Sunday.

Sunday is our last competitive match before the FA Cup final and there is a week's rest afterwards so I can see him going strong then in order to keep the first 11 match fit and sharp. Hence, i think we'll see a slightly weaker team on at Brighton. the fact that Brighton are basically guaranteed European football and hence it's not 'disrespecting the competition' also makes me think that.

 

[yeah whatever !!]

COME ON CITY !!

 

[kaz7]

No they technically need a point but I don't think they'll need anything.

They have to lose an 18 goal swing to Aston Villa, which would be a 6-0 loss to us and then a 6-0 loss to Villa on the last day of the season or something along those lines.

All very unlikely, so they should be good for the Europa League without needing a point.

Thanks , amazing achievement

 

[bluefm]

Play the reserves as a thank you for them betaing Arsenal.

 

[ldoctor]

Best place for parking please?

 

[Legal Alien]

Kick off time 20:00 (BST).

Remember when this game was a bit of a worry?

Cheers Arsenal.

Now its a game that doesn't really matter for either side; City are champions and Brighton are pretty much guaranteed Europa League football next season, only a 18 goal difference swing to Villa would stop that (they play Villa last game of the season).

If anything the City players are playing for the chance to be involved in both finals.

I thought he would rotate in this one but given the line-up today I imagine it'll be quite a strong team. I think Pep will want to keep up the rhythm going into the final.

Walker and Akanji get their rest but everybody else back in?

If he doesn't go strong here then he probably will against Brentford.

I agree.

The way Pep has been praising de Zerbi this season i think Pep will put a strong side out and be looking forward to this one and it'll be a good game.

I'm going for a 2-2 draw.