Manchester City are embarking on a new chapter as they hand the reins to Enzo Maresca following Pep Guardiola's decision to step down. This marks Maresca's third spell with the club – he previously worked as an academy coach in the 2020‑21 season and later served as Guardiola's assistant during the historic treble‑winning campaign of 2022‑23 that saw City claim the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup. While he knows the culture of chasing trophies, he has yet to be the main architect of success on such a grand scale. The key question, then, is whether he is equipped to guide Manchester City to further glory in the 2026‑27 season.
Sky Sports' Ben Ransom and Laura Hunter break down Maresca's prospects in his inaugural year and examine whether silverware will be the sole yardstick by which his tenure is measured after Guardiola's monumental exit. Maresca has been handed a relatively gentle introduction to his new role.
His first three fixtures pit City against Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and Coventry City – opponents that should allow the new boss to establish a rhythm without the immediate pressure of top‑six clashes. This scheduling also gives the club's World Cup‑seasoned players, many of whom are still recovering from a grueling summer tournament, a chance to ease back into league action. Rodri, for example, logged nearly every minute of Spain's victorious campaign and is therefore at risk of fatigue.
By phasing his return during these early, less demanding matches, City can protect their midfield engine while still fielding a competitive side. Nevertheless, the early fixtures are not without expectations.
On paper they are winnable, and Maresca will be expected to secure the points. A slip‑up could hand momentum to rivals, especially as the calendar soon pits City against Manchester United and Liverpool – two of the league's most storied adversaries – within the first month of September. Those encounters carry weight far beyond the three points on offer; they are litmus tests for the new manager's tactical acumen and his ability to handle high‑pressure environments. When Maresca arrived, he described his appointment as a "dream situation" – inheriting a squad that Guardiola meticulously built, boasting depth, talent and a balanced mix of experience and youth.
He noted that this foundation provides the consistency he needs to execute his ideas effectively. However, the expectations placed on him mirror those that once fell on Guardiola, yet Maresca does not enjoy the same level of job security that the Spaniard once commanded. While he enjoys a strong relationship with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, he will still be judged on results rather than granted carte blanche. Stylistically, Maresca's approach shares several core principles with Guardiola's philosophy.
Both managers prioritize possession, control of the game and aggressive pressing. Where Maresca may diverge is in his willingness to stretch the pitch horizontally, employing wingers who stay high and wide to open up space.
Under Guardiola, City’s wide players were often instructed to cut inside and create overloads in central areas, a tactic that produced fluid, interchangeable positional play. Maresca, by contrast, appears inclined toward a more structured 4‑2‑3‑1 formation, which could see players occupying more traditional roles – defenders staying back, midfielders holding their lines and forwards focusing on finishing. A key component of this system is a creative No 10 to link midfield and attack.
At Chelsea, Maresca relied on Cole Palmer in that role; at City he now has the luxury of choosing between Phil Foden, who offers a blend of technical brilliance and tactical intelligence, or the emerging talent of Rayan Cherki, who brings flair and unpredictability. Either option could serve as the fulcrum for Maresca's attacking schemes. In recent transfer windows, under sporting director Hugo Viana, City have deliberately reduced the average age of the squad from around 29 to just over 25. This rejuvenation has created a youthful core but also left a leadership gap after the departures of long‑serving stalwarts Bernardo Silva, John Stones and the iconic Kevin de Bruyne.
The remaining senior figures – Rodri, Rúben Dias and the ever‑reliable Erling Haaland – now shoulder greater responsibility, while players like Marc Guehi, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovačić provide additional experience and stability. The club's recent business has been costly but strategic.
The acquisition of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for a substantial fee aims to add robustness and future‑proof the midfield, while the signing of young Jeremy Monga from Leicester signals a commitment to nurturing emerging talent. The transfer agenda also includes a hunt for a right‑back and an attacking winger, with the club monitoring Lille prodigy Ayyoub Bouaddi, who impressed at the World Cup for Morocco and has attracted interest from Arsenal as well.
Potential departures could see a range of players leave the Etihad: Savinho, Omar Marmoush, Nico González, Jack Grealish, Tijjani Reijnders and Rico Lewis are all on the club's radar. With the World Cup now behind them, the summer transfer market is expected to accelerate, and City will need to balance incoming talent with the financial outlay already incurred. This is the first post‑Abu Dhabi takeover season where the long‑term plan is not set in stone. A decade ago, the entire project was built around attracting Guardiola and establishing a dynasty.
With his departure, the club must redefine its vision while preserving the winning culture that fans have come to expect. At the Etihad, anything short of trophies is unlikely to be tolerated for an extended period; supporters demand both entertainment and success, a balance that proved elusive during Maresca's stint at Chelsea. Maresca does have the advantage of not being the sole inexperienced manager among the league's elite. The Premier League landscape is shifting, with figures like Andoni Iraola at Liverpool, Xabi Alonso at Chelsea and, to a lesser extent, Michael Carrick at Manchester United, all facing their own challenges.
This climate of uncertainty creates opportunities for ambitious coaches to make a mark – a classic sink‑or‑swim scenario. Off the pitch, City are still grappling with 115 pending Premier League charges, a cloud that will inevitably draw media scrutiny.
Guardiola was adept at managing press confrontations, often steering conversations away from sensitive topics. Maresca, while having faced criticism during his time at Chelsea, was primarily questioned on footballing matters rather than administrative ones. How he navigates this new media environment could significantly influence his first twelve months, especially if a verdict on the charges emerges within that timeframe. Manchester City have publicly denied all allegations, and Maresca is set to hold his inaugural press conference on Friday, 24 July.
The club will provide a live blog for fans to follow the proceedings. As the new manager steps onto the Etihad stage, the stakes are high, the expectations relentless, and the path ahead riddled with both opportunity and challenge.
Whether Maresca can translate his experience, tactical insight and the club's deep resources into tangible success remains the central narrative of the upcoming season.