Maresca Has No Doubt Over Donnarumma as Manchester City Number One After Rulli’s EFL Cup Heroics

Enzo Maresca praised Geronimo Rulli for his decisive penalty shoot-out display against Brighton, but confirmed Gianluigi Donnarumma

Rulli the hero in penalty shoot-out

Enzo Maresca was thrilled with Geronimo Rulli's match-winning display, which sent Manchester City through against Brighton in the EFL Cup, but he made clear he has "no doubt" that Gianluigi Donnarumma is the team's number one goalkeeper.

The coach handed Donnarumma a rest for the fourth-round EFL Cup clash on Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium, where Rulli ultimately proved to be City's hero in the penalty shoot-out, winning 4-3 after a 2-2 draw in regulation time.

Brighton led twice, through goals from Malick Yalcouye and Georginio Rutter, but City fought back with strikes from Mateo Kovacic and Vitor Reis, forcing the tie to be decided from twelve yards.

Kovacic was the first to blink in the shoot-out, as Jason Steele kept out his spot-kick. However, Rulli stepped up to spare Kovacic's blushes, denying Yasin Ayari and Lewis Dunk, either side of Rayan Cherki converting his penalty, to seal the holders' place in the quarter-finals.

Donnarumma's errors and Maresca's firm stance

Donnarumma has not been at his best this season and was at fault for Aston Villa's winner in City's first defeat of the campaign in the Premier League last weekend. In fact, the Italian has already made two errors leading to goals this term, and three leading to shots.

Yet Maresca was blunt when asked if Rulli could now usurp Donnarumma as first choice: "No, absolutely not from my point of view," he said.

"He's working well, but he knows exactly his role and there is not any doubt about that. Absolutely no doubt. I think overall he was good, especially in the build-up. It was not easy because they are a team that goes man to man, aggressive. He made, also, one good save during the game and he was good," added the coach.

City were fortunate, given Brighton created by far the better chances, registering 2.03 expected goals to the hosts' 0.76.

Wholesale rotation and next up in the quarter-finals

Maresca made wholesale changes: Erling Haaland, Josko Gvardiol, Ruben Dias and Elliot Anderson sat out altogether, while Jeremy Doku and Enzo Fernandez came on as substitutes. Nevertheless, the City boss did not regret the decision: "I was happy with the way we planned the game, with the rotation, especially I was very, very happy with the ones on the pitch."

Maresca's men will face Bradford City, from the third tier, at home in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.