Maresca Tests Manchester City’s Depth as Sunderland Awaits

MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City’s six-match winning streak across all competitions began immediately after a season-opening defeat to Arsenal in the FA Community Shield, the traditional curtain-raiser of the English football season.

That run continued with a 5-0 victory over Championship side Norwich City in the Carabao Cup on Thursday. Before the cup tie, City had also beaten Portuguese club FC Porto in European competition and local rivals Manchester United in the Premier League.

The demanding sequence of fixtures led Enzo Maresca to rest several key starters who had played consecutive 90-minute matches. The Manchester City manager is prioritizing player rotation and tactical experimentation as the club moves through a demanding multi-competition schedule.

Maresca took charge of Manchester City this season after succeeding long-time manager Pep Guardiola. He previously served as Guardiola’s assistant during the historic 2022–23 campaign, when City captured a continental treble of the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League titles.

The Italian coach later gained head coaching experience at Leicester City and Chelsea before returning to Manchester. At the Etihad Stadium, he said public expectations remain exceptionally high and acknowledged the intense pressure attached to the managerial role.

“I’m really happy. I said in the first press conference, for me to be in this club is a privilege and to be in this club after a legend like Pep is a privilege,” Maresca said. “I know if I don’t win it’s a disaster, and it’s normal, but I don’t spend my day thinking who was here before and for how many years. I’m just here to focus on what we can do better, improve the team and trying to win games.”

Player rotation also gave midfielder Floyd Samba an opportunity against Norwich. He was deployed in an advanced attacking role, offering Maresca another option upfront.

Antoine Semenyo, Phil Foden, and French playmaker Rayan Cherki can operate as a “false nine,” a tactical system popularized during Guardiola’s tenure to pull opposing defenders out of position. Maresca said Samba was effective in the role and could receive more opportunities.

“We have Antoine [Semenyo] there, we can use Phil [Foden] and Rayan Cherki as a false nine. It depends on the gameplan,” Maresca added. “But Floyd played here, he was good and hopefully we can give him more chances.”

Manchester City’s next match is Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Sunderland. The Black Cats will travel to Etihad Stadium for a kickoff scheduled for 14:00 BST (9:00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT), and Maresca hopes his rested players will be “full of energy” for what he anticipates will be a highly physical encounter.

In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Ultra will broadcast the game live. Streaming will be available via Now TV, with subscriptions priced at £14.99 for a daily pass, £27.99 per month for a 12-month commitment, or £34.99 per month for a contract-free option. International broadcasts will be handled by the Premier League’s designated regional rights-holders.

The upcoming matches are critical for establishing early positioning in the Premier League table. Under current rules, the top four teams at the end of the season earn direct qualification to the UEFA Champions League league phase, the fifth-place finisher enters the UEFA Europa League league phase, and the bottom three teams face relegation to the EFL Championship.

The full schedule of Premier League fixtures for the upcoming weekend is detailed below:

Premier League Fixtures (Sept. 18 – Sept. 20)