Enzo Maresca insists the spotlight is not on him as Manchester City prepare for Sunday’s eagerly awaited derby away against Manchester United. City head to Old Trafford sitting top of the Premier League standings after a flawless start to the campaign, picking up three wins out of three. Appointed on a three-year deal to succeed Pep Guardiola, Maresca has quickly made his presence felt, though he remains clear that his focus is entirely on the collective task rather than his personal narrative.
Addressing the media, the Italian coach vowed he won’t be a copy-and-paste manager. Having previously served as Guardiola’s assistant during City’s historic treble-winning season, Maresca acknowledged the tactical parallels drawn between himself and his predecessor. However, he promised to execute the job on his own terms and with his own identity. Replacing Guardiola echoes the Spaniard’s famous 2021 declaration regarding Sergio Aguero—that we cannot replace him—yet that exact challenge now falls to Maresca. Gary Neville labelled the appointment as the ultimate test, warning that nothing less than winning will be accepted at City given the standards set over the last 10 years.
Maresca’s return to the north west comes after a successful stint at Chelsea, where he lifted both the Conference League and the Club World Cup during his one full season in charge at Stamford Bridge. Rumours had linked him with the Etihad post as far back as Christmas while he was still in London. Upon taking charge, Maresca revealed his ambition to close the seven-point gap to Premier League champions Arsenal from last term. That fresh rivalry was sparked when City met Arsenal in the Community Shield in Cardiff, where Gunners boss Mikel Arteta praised Maresca as being as good as Guardiola, even as Arsenal maintained their historical record of winning all three Community Shield matches against City.
City officially opened their league schedule against Bournemouth on August 23 and haven’t looked back, stringing together three straight victories to set the pace at the top of the table. Now, they seek to build on the momentum of Guardiola’s final derby in charge, when City secured an emphatic win at the Etihad behind decisive displays from Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, who once again proved to be United’s nemesis. That performance helped City push league leaders Arsenal late last season, and Maresca wants that same killer instinct on display this weekend.
Sunday’s clash at Old Trafford represents Maresca’s first local derby as manager, bringing the intense demands of the fixture into sharp focus. City enter the contest with maximum points, but the internal expectations remain relentless. By combining his own tactical ideas with the winning culture already established at the club, Maresca aims to keep City’s perfect start intact while establishing a clear direction for his three-year tenure.
