Manchester City vs Brighton: Two surprise absentees for Albion as Fabian Hurzeler makes Pascal Gross decision
There have been two enforced changes to the Brighton team, as they prepare to face Manchester City at the Etihad.
Charalampos Kostoulas and Joel Veltman are two surprise absentees from the matchday squad. According to The Athletic, they have suffered ‘slight issues’.
Brajan Gruda is the third player to drop out the team but he is among the substitutes.
The players to come in are Pascal Gross, Jack Hinshelwood and Maxim De Cuyper.
Albion are without a recognised striker, with Georginio Rutter the further forward.
Gross is starting a Premier League match for the first time since he rejoined the club five days ago.
The Germany international re-joined the Seagulls from Borussia Dortmund for a reported £1 million on Friday (January 2), signing a contract until June 2027. He came off the bench in the 71st minute against Burnley – a hero’s reception.
"It was really busy, 48 hours to get there, but I was really pleased that I could be part of the team,” he said.
"I think everybody had to work together to get it done. It wasn't easy to make it happen, but I gave the signal since quite a bit that I could imagine that.
"I think then it's all about negotiations and that it can happen. It wasn't easy, but in the end it happened.”
Gross scored 32 goals and provided 52 assists in 261 games across seven seasons prior to his return to Germany. The versatile 33-year-old scored Albion’s first ever Premier League goal back in 2017.
Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City will be wary of the threat Gross poses.
Guardiola spoke at length with the German after City beat Dortmund, in the Champions League, back in November.
Asked for an insight into the conversation, Gross said: “Of course I can remember, but that's something between him and me. We played a lot of times against each other and we spoke a bit about some things, but that's between him and me.”
Gross was happier to speak about the impact he can have on the young players after his Brighton return – particularly compatriot Brajan Gruda.
“I will try to [help him],” Gross said.
"I already said [that] to him.
"I tried to help Dennis Undav when he was here. I helped him massively at the beginning because it's not easy to come abroad.
"Maybe sometimes it's a bit of misunderstanding, a bit of communication.
"I try to support him [Gruda] but also demand things because young players, if they want to reach a certain level, they need to push every day.
"They need to understand it's not one action or two actions. It's consistency and that's a big quality, maybe the biggest.
"If we can get that in with the young boys who have a lot of potential, I think they can show it.”