Our writers preview one of the most anticipated seasons in Manchester City's recent history; will Maresca fail to impress as Guardiola's successor? What is the club's strongest XI ahead of the new season? And what are the general expectations of the Citizens?
Manchester City 2026/27 Season Preview: Will Enzo Maresca succeed Guardiola in style or fail miserably?
Enzo Maresca will lead the post Pep Guardiola era (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)
Getting to the mountaintop is hard, but staying there is an even more difficult task, writes Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere. Manchester City have already been straining against the weight of expectations to sustain their stellar standards from the last decade, and the start of a new era has done little to stop the relative rot at the football club.
Pep Guardiola waved goodbye to the Etihad Stadium in May, and a herculean assignment has been handed to former assistant Enzo Maresca. Big personalities in the squad have also parted ways with the Citizens, and a 3-0 defeat to Premier League champions Arsenal in the Community Shield sent out the wrong kind of message. City do not have to look far to see how a string of significant exits can derail a successful institution: so, will all this change undercut their chances of continued success?
2025/26 Season Recap
Written by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere
Manchester City came into the 2025/26 campaign after failing to win a trophy for the first time in eight years. Repeat that feat again and many thought that their era of dominance would have finished.
Things looked a little shaky at the start: back-to-back defeats against Tottenham and Brighton would follow a 4-0 rout of Wolves. Even a 1-1 draw with Arsenal was noteworthy for how much initiative they conceded in the second half. But Pep Guardiola would be proven right to believe in his group.
From their next 13 fixtures, City only lost twice, establishing a two-horse race with Arsenal, and the arrivals of Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi gave the squad a much-needed boost in the new year.
A humbling exit against Real Madrid from the Champions League reminded the Citizens that their levels had dropped, but a 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final showed they had not given up the ghost. They beat the Gunners again during April, and a Treble was now on the cards.
An FA Cup final win over Chelsea wrapped up a domestic double, but the biggest trophy would not return to Etihad Stadium. Draws against Everton and Bournemouth were fatal, and Guardiola had gone successive seasons without a league title for the first time in his career. The symbolic changing of the guard would be confirmed through the exit of the Catalan after a decade in the dugout.
Transfer Activity
Written by Jack Coburn
There are clear differences in some quarters across east Manchester, in City fan groups, and throughout social feeds when it comes to the club's transfer strategy and activity. Hugo Viana and Enzo Maresca have clearly been working hard this summer, highlighted by their incredible signing of Elliot Anderson, who could turn out to be the signing of the summer.
However, with the loss of Rodri alongside the imminent departures of Savinho and Omar Marmoush, it's understandable that City fans are frustrated that these holes haven't been filled so far with only a couple of weeks of the window remaining.
Ayyoub Bouaddi remains a popular figure in the City ranks and a deal, if it is to happen, is likely to be done inside the next week, according to sources. Would he be a viable replacement for Rodri? Only time will tell.
An important thing to note is that City enter this season with a new manager, new (although very similar) tactics, and new players. Drama, struggle and unfamiliarity are all expected, and a lot of money might need to be spent to cover the cracks. The only problem is that time is running out.
One to Watch - Antoine Semenyo
Written by Theo Tarling
There may be a new face leading the multiple time Premier League champions, though it’s one of the final signings from the Guardiola era that may be crucial to City’s chances of a good season, Antoine Semenyo.
Semenyo’s blistering form last season earned him a mid-season move to Manchester City, a season which ended with 14 goal contributions in 27 games, plus the winning goal in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea.
Talking about the differences between Guardiola’s and Enzo Maresca system, Semenyo highlighted the wingers holding width as a key cog,
“Enzo [Maresca] is just [stay] out wide and when you get the ball, just create opportunities, so it is music to my ears”
City’s chances of winning the title will fall heavily on Erling Haaland, however they will need some goals outside of the Norwegian, with Semenyo expected to be one of those who provide them.
Strongest XI
Written by Levi Bass
Donnarumma; O’Reilly, Gvardiol, Dias, Nunes; Anderson, Kovacic; Doku, Cherki, Semenyo; Haaland
The core members of Man City’s squad have not changed much during this summer window, but there are a few shifts which could affect Maresca’s side in a negative or positive way.
Gianluigi Donnarumma is the undisputed number 1 after a solid first season in net for the Italian.
Matheus Nunes has proven himself to be a really influential full back despite originally being signed as a midfielder. He does an exceptional job inverting into central positions but can also be deployed out wide.
Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol are the two centre backs chosen. Marc Guehi is very unlucky to miss out here but he will undoubtedly play a lot of minutes throughout the season.
At left back, Nico O’Reilly is the standout option after a sensational season and solid World Cup campaign with England.
Elliot Anderson is the only new signing in this XI, as he replaces Rodri who has officially departed to Barcelona. It will be a tough test to see if the Englishman can come in and fill the shoes of the former Ballon D’Or winner.
Veteran Matteo Kovacic partners Anderson in the midfield, as he is the only true number 8 in the squad. His ball carrying and passing range have always been on point, but the Croatian’s injury record to bring up some concern.
Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo are the left and right winger options respectively. Both compliment one another on either side of the attack, and Semenyo’s instant impact since arriving in January make him an obvious choice.
In the number 10, Rayan Cherki edges out former PFA Premier League player of the season Phil Foden due to his technical excellence, intelligence and flair. The Frenchman offers a unique blend of attributes which are an incredible asset to any side.
Erling Haaland is the number 9. Not much needs to be said here.
Tactics
Written by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere
Maresca was touted to follow in the footsteps of Guardiola when he became head coach at Chelsea. There were some ideas including the insistence ofbuildup from the back and isolating the wingers while inverting the fullbacks that mirrored elements of the tactical playbook at Manchester City.
But the best period of his time at Stamford Bridge saw the Blues also embrace parts of the framework left by Mauricio Pochettino, playing with pace in transition to hit the front three quickly and get the best out of Cole Palmer along with Nicolas Jackson. Guardiola himself had to loosen the reins a little to empower Rayan Cherki as a creative force in the offensive unit last campaign, and Maresca might see more success if his side set up a little more chaotic and open than expected.
At the same time, though, he cannot afford the defensive deficiencies visible against Arsenal in the Community Shield. Even if one deems the fixture to be a preseason affair, the signs are not new with a Maresca side. Partially because of the player profiles, the Blues were often quite easy to cut through, and the backline was prone to errors or last-ditch interventions. The Italian is not arriving at a settled midfield unit, and he will need to channel a more pragmatic edge to manage the rebuild this year.
Season Expectations
Written by Emmanuel Adeyemi-Abere
For at least half of the Pep Guardiola era, Manchester City could think they had a shot at all four major honours. They come into this campaign with very different demands from the outside world.
Since they won the treble in 2023, the Citizens have not advanced beyond the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and they have failed to reach that phase in the last two editions. Elite European clubs do not allow their standards to slip far even when legends leave their premises, but for now, it is hard to see this side surpassing that stage of the tournament without a favourable set of draws.
Domestically, City remain one of the strongest sides in English football. They are not favourites for the title, and the Community Shield suggests that they might fall a way short of Arsenal again. However, they should still expect to finish in the qualifying positions for the Champions League. Complement that with a successful cup title defence, and Maresca will have met most expectations.