Many Manchester City were delighted on social media that Manuel Akanji will play no part in their Manchester derby clash next week after his red card.
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.
The 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.
Surprisingly, a large number of City fans on social media were glad to hear that the £15million signing will play no part in the match.
Many fans were delighted at the news of his absence, with one calling Akanji’s suspension the ‘best news of the week’.
@GvardiolSZNS: “Thank god Akanji isn’t playing in the Manchester derby”
@AntPHall: “Akanji suspended for the derby is the only good thing to come out of that”
@NJK919: “Glad Akanji can’t play the derby, his clearance for Brighton goal was woeful”
@Paggy1_: “Akanji Missing the Manchester Derby is the best News of the Weak. Real defenders will defend.”
@trebletime23: “Glad Akanji missing for the Derby as we can do without his howlers at the swamp. Why he starts every week is beyond me.”
@FrxnkJ_01: “Pep might be forced to play his best defenders now instead of shoving Akanji down our throats and pretending he’s something he isn’t.”
@City_Avid: “Akanji with a silly second yellow, some parts of me is happy he isn’t starting in the Derby”
@POVSALVAREZ: “luckily akanji being suspended isn’t bad he’s arguably our worst defender”
