Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has confirmed that Gianluigi Donnarumma remains the club’s first-choice goalkeeper despite Geronimo Rulli’s impressive performance in the Carabao Cup victory over Brighton, according to a report by FootballTransfers on Thursday, October 29, 2026.

Donnarumma was rested for the cup encounter, allowing Rulli to start and demonstrate his abilities in goal. The Argentine goalkeeper took advantage of the opportunity, producing an important save to deny Georginio Rutter before saving two penalties during the shoot-out.

Rulli’s contribution helped Manchester City secure qualification for the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, where they are scheduled to face Bradford. His performance attracted attention and raised questions about whether he could challenge Donnarumma for the starting position in the team.

However, Maresca has dismissed suggestions that Rulli could retain his place for Manchester City’s upcoming Premier League fixture against Brighton on Saturday. The manager made it clear that Donnarumma would return to the starting line-up, emphasising that the Italian international remains his preferred option between the posts.

When asked by BBC Sport whether Rulli could continue as the starting goalkeeper, Maresca responded firmly.

“No, absolutely not from my point of view. He is working well, but Rulli knows exactly his role. There is no doubt about that. Saturday it will be Gigio plus 10,” he said.

The manager’s comments indicate that Rulli’s strong performance in the Carabao Cup has not altered the existing order among Manchester City’s goalkeepers. Although the Argentine delivered when called upon, Maresca appears satisfied with Donnarumma’s position as the club’s leading goalkeeper.

Rulli’s display nevertheless demonstrated his ability to handle pressure and contribute to important results. Saving two penalties in a shoot-out can be crucial in determining the outcome of a cup tie, and his performance helped City progress to the next round.

Despite the praise surrounding Rulli, Maresca has maintained his confidence in Donnarumma, who has faced criticism following some mistakes during the current campaign. The Italian goalkeeper came under scrutiny after Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa, with questions raised about his performances in recent matches.

Maresca, however, defended his goalkeeper, arguing that mistakes are an inevitable part of football and should be considered alongside a player’s overall contribution.

“Gigio, since we started, is doing well,” the manager said.

He added that players and managers would inevitably make mistakes during a season, stressing that individual errors should not automatically undermine confidence in their abilities.

“Like any player or manager, at some point he is going to make mistakes. It’s part of the season,” Maresca explained.

The City manager also described Donnarumma as a strong character who understands when he has made an error and does not necessarily require others to point it out to him.

“He is quite a strong guy. He knows when he makes mistakes; he doesn’t need us to tell him,” he added.

Maresca’s defence suggests that he remains focused on Donnarumma’s overall performances rather than allowing isolated mistakes to determine the goalkeeper’s position in the team.

Statistical figures also provide another perspective on Donnarumma’s performances. His reported goals-prevented figure stands at 0.53, suggesting that he has conceded fewer goals than expected based on the quality of the scoring opportunities faced.

However, the figure remains below the 1.96 recorded by James Trafford before Manchester City sold the English goalkeeper to Leeds. Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen reportedly leads the league with a goals-prevented figure of 2.32.

These statistics provide a basis for comparing goalkeepers’ performances, although they represent only one aspect of evaluating their overall contribution. Factors such as distribution, decision-making, positioning and performances in decisive moments also influence assessments of goalkeepers.

For Manchester City, Maresca’s latest comments make the club’s immediate selection plans clear. Donnarumma is expected to return to the starting line-up for Saturday’s Premier League encounter against Brighton, while Rulli is likely to continue in a supporting role.

Rulli’s performance in the Carabao Cup has demonstrated the value of having a reliable alternative available, particularly during a demanding season. Nevertheless, unless Maresca changes his position, Donnarumma will remain Manchester City’s preferred goalkeeper as the club continues its campaign in domestic competitions.