Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has warned against making early predictions about which teams will secure Champions League qualification next season, despite acknowledging Brighton and Hove Albion’s impressive start to the Premier League campaign.

Brighton have emerged as one of the early pace-setters this season, occupying third place in the standings with 16 points, five behind joint leaders Manchester City and defending champions Arsenal, who have both accumulated 21 points. The Seagulls’ performances have attracted attention, particularly their attacking displays, but Maresca believes the league campaign is still at an early stage to determine which clubs will finish among the top four.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Premier League meeting between the sides at the Etihad Stadium, the City manager recognised Brighton’s quality but remained cautious about their prospects of securing Champions League football.

“I think it is still too early for all the clubs but for sure, they [Brighton] are doing very good. It is a team that in any game they score many goals, three, four, five goals. They create many chances against any team. It is going to be a tough game but where they can be at the end of the season, I don’t know.”

Enzo Maresca, Manchester City Manager

Maresca Impressed by Brighton’s Attacking Threat

Beyond their position in the standings, Maresca believes Brighton’s attacking approach and intensity make them a ”difficult opponent” for any side in the division.

The City boss highlighted their ability to create scoring opportunities against different opponents, warning that his players would need to be prepared for another demanding contest.

“They’re doing very good, on the ball and off the ball. They are very aggressive, man-to-man oriented in all the games. They attack very good with so many players, full-backs, wingers, attacking midfielders, so it is going to be a tough game.”

Enzo Maresca, Manchester City Manager

Saturday’s encounter will be the second meeting between the teams in three days, following their Carabao Cup fourth-round encounter at the Etihad on Wednesday.

Brighton twice took the lead through Malick Yalcouye and Georginio Rutter, but Mateo Kovacic and Vitor Reis restored parity for City in a 2-2 draw after 90 minutes.

City eventually prevailed 4-3 on penalties to secure their place in the quarter-finals, following an entertaining contest in which Brighton demonstrated their ability to trouble the hosts.

Both Sides Target Premier League Response

The two teams enter Saturday’s fixture seeking a return to winning ways after suffering defeats in their respective league outings last weekend.

City’s winning start to the campaign came to an end at Villa Park, where Nicolas Jackson scored twice to condemn Maresca’s side to a 2-1 defeat. City’s response through Erling Haaland proved insufficient to prevent their first league loss of the season.

Brighton also suffered a setback, losing 2-0 to Liverpool at Anfield. The Seagulls struggled to recover after conceding twice in the opening 21 minutes, with Liverpool securing all three points.

Recent meetings between the clubs suggest Brighton will not be intimidated by City’s home advantage. Their previous five encounters have produced competitive contests, including a 1-1 draw at the Etihad in their most recent Premier League meeting.

Semenyo the only missing City player

Maresca will, however, have most of his senior players available for Saturday’s contest, with Antoine Semenyo the only senior absentee. The Ghana international has been ruled out for close to eight weeks with injury. “They are all available, apart from Antoine Semenyo, the rest, they are all available,” the City boss confirmed.

The City manager confirmed that Erling Haaland, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Elliot Anderson, who were left out of Wednesday’s cup squad, are available for selection.

With both sides eager to respond to last weekend’s defeats, Saturday’s meeting promises another competitive encounter at the Etihad, where Brighton will attempt to turn their impressive league form into a statement victory against one of the Premier League’s leading sides.