Haaland among five absentees for Man City's Carabao Cup clash with Brighton

Erling Haaland will be missing when Manchester City host Brighton & Hove Albion in Wednesday's EFL Cup fourth-round tie, with Enzo Maresca explaining the decision in his pre-match press duties.

Sports Mole reports that Haaland is one of five Manchester City players who will sit out the Carabao Cup tie, with Maresca offering an update on the reasoning behind the absences (Sports Mole). The Manchester Evening News carries much the same line, confirming that Haaland is among five men ruled out and that Maresca spoke directly about the striker ahead of the game (Manchester Evening News).

ManCity.com's own preview centres on Maresca previewing the Brighton clash on video, giving fans the manager's thoughts on the Carabao Cup assignment in his own words (ManCity.com).

Away from team news, the Manchester Evening News also has a separate piece looking at Haaland's development, noting he has "an even bigger audience this year" and detailing how the forward has made what's described as a 30% leap in his game, with a nod to Maresca's methods and the influence of his father (Manchester Evening News). It's a reminder that, fit or rested for this particular cup tie, Haaland remains very much the focal point of discussion around the club.

Between the reports, the outlets are largely in agreement: five players, Haaland included, will be absent for the Etihad Stadium clash with Brighton, and it's Maresca himself who has addressed the situation with the press. The exact identities of the other four absentees aren't detailed across these snippets, so supporters will want to keep an eye out for team news closer to kick-off.

With City looking to progress in the competition, Wednesday's visit of Brighton offers a chance to rest key men while others step up - and all reports suggest Maresca is being open about his selection thinking rather than keeping it under wraps.

Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.