Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji will miss next weekend's derby clash against rivals Manchester United in the Premier League after being sent off in the Citizens' 2-1 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
Akanji was dismissed for two bookable offenses, with his first yellow card received for a cynical foul on Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma midway through the second half.
With Man City clinging on to their slender advantage after Ansu Fati restored hope for the visitors with a goal in the 73rd minute, Akanji received his second booking of the match deep into second-half stoppage time for pulling down Fati on a counter-attack.
Pep Guardiola's side eventually held on for maximum points at the Etihad Stadium - breaking two Premier League records - with first-half strikes from Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland helping the reigning champions return to winning ways following a run of two successive defeats before the international break.
Akanji will be available to represent Man City in his native Switzerland when the Citizens face Young Boys in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday, but the defender will miss an important Premier League fixture just four days later.
Indeed, the 28-year-old will be forced to miss Man City's next top-fight match against Man United at the Etihad next Sunday.
Akanji was one of five players who returned to Man City's starting lineup for the clash with Brighton, operating in a three-man defence alongside Kyle Walker and Josko Gvardiol, while John Stones drifted into midfield to link up with Rodri, who made his return following a three-man domestic ban.
City's No.25 has established himself as a first-team regular under Guardiola this season, making 12 appearances in all competitions and featuring for a total of 1,004 minutes – more than any other Citizens defender.
Akanji has had mixed success against Man United in previous meetings, winning three and losing two of his five encounters with the Red Devils across five matches with Man City and former club Basel.
The versatile defender played the full 90 minutes in both home and away Premier League fixtures against Erik ten Hag's side last season, with City winning a thrilling contest at the Etihad by a 6-3 scoreline in October 2022 before losing 2-1 at Old Trafford three months later.
Guardiola is fortunate to have a number of defensive options at his disposal to cope with the absence of Akanji next weekend, with Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake – who began as substitutes against Brighton – in contention to return to the first XI while Walker, Stones and Gvardiol battle to retain their places.
Man City's win over Brighton has seen them move to the top of the Premier League table, but they could be replaced at the summit by Arsenal if they beat London rivals Chelsea on Saturday evening, while Tottenham Hotspur play host to Fulham on Monday. body check tags ::
