Brighton visit the Etihad twice this week, with a Carabao Cup quarter-final place and Premier League points at stake. Can Fabian Hurzeler repeat his cup-and-league double over Enzo Maresca?

Manchester City away is a daunting enough fixture once. For Brighton & Hove Albion it is the assignment twice in four days, starting with Wednesday’s Carabao Cup tie before returning for Saturday’s Premier League meeting.

It is a huge test, but there are reasons for Albion fans to approach this double-header with some optimism. Hurzeler has made a habit of making life difficult for City, while the man now in their dugout knows exactly how uncomfortable back-to-back games against Brighton can be.

Hurzeler’s record against Pep Guardiola was remarkable: four meetings, two wins, two draws and no defeats. According to Opta, he became the first manager to avoid defeat in his first four top-flight meetings with the Spaniard. Both draws came at the Etihad, including January’s 1-1 draw. Brighton have competed here, but winning remains the next step.

Of course, Guardiola is no longer the obstacle. Maresca brings a new dimension, and Brighton’s previous success against City cannot simply be carried over to a different manager.

Still, the Italian will hardly relish the familiarity. In February 2025, Brighton beat his Chelsea side 2-1 in the FA Cup before dismantling them 3-0 in the league six days later. That second game brought a Yankuba Minteh brace and not a single Chelsea shot on target. A similar result would do very nicely.

The obvious difference? Both of those wins came at the Amex.

Neither side arrives feeling particularly invincible. City’s 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa ended their perfect seven-game league start, while Brighton are looking to respond to their own 2-0 loss at Liverpool. There is vulnerability here, but plenty of motivation to put things right too.

A lot will depend on the squad selection and which competition each coach chooses to prioritise. For me, though, the cup deserves a proper go. League points are valuable, especially against a side of City’s quality, but Wednesday offers a direct route into the quarter-finals. That is an opportunity worth taking seriously.

Rotation makes sense; the selection still needs to reflect what is at stake. Brighton have shown they can trouble City and beat Maresca twice in quick succession. Doing both away from home is another challenge entirely.

But what a week it could be if they pull it off...