It is time for Manchester City’s senior players to stand up against Brighton | OneFootball

Manchester City face a tricky away fixture today as they take on Brighton at the Amex Stadium. Fabian Hurzeler’s side will fancy their chances against Pep Guardiola’s side today. The world champions enter today’s game after three successive losses in all competitions. It will take a team effort from the champions to pick up all three points today. To win today’s game Manchester City’s senior players must lift to help ensure City return to winning ways today.

City’s losing streak doesn’t solely sit at the feet of Manchester City’s senior players. It has been a string of poor performances across the board that has seen City slip up over the past week. A combination of injuries, fatigue and hungry opponents has seen Pep Guardiola drop their past three games. This can happen throughout the season. But it does sit on Manchester City’s senior players to set the tone as they look to pick up a win before the international break.

Players such as Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and Bernardo Silva have been below their best in recent games. That can happen as they deal with fatigue and injury issues. But if that group do start today they must set the tone for their teammates to follow. That is the role of leaders and all of the players named are leaders of this Manchester City squad. Time and time again Walker, Bernardo, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji and Ilkay Gundogan have lifted when City have needed them most. Today is a day when they must do the same at the Amex Stadium.

Today’s game isn’t a must win game by any stretch. It’s too early in the season for that. But Manchester City do look in need of a confidence boost before the international break. If Manchester City’s senior players set the tone today it could kickstart the champions. It is their job to do so in a fixture that could see the world champions severely tested against a quality opponent.