Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca knows the comparisons to Pep Guardiola will always be there but has started well
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, on September 20, 2026. (Photo by Mike Morese/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Sunderland at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, on September 20, 2026. (Photo by Mike Morese/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Enzo Maresca
Enzo Maresca may not welcome it but he knows that it will always come. The man who followed Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager will always be judged against the legend who took the club to such extraordinary heights.
"It’s something that I know – after 10 games, if we’ve got 10 points, 20 points, 30 points," the Italian said when he spoke to reporters in his first interview since taking the job. "People will be comparing it to Pep after 10 games. But it’s something – it is what it is. It doesn’t put pressure on me."
Maresca is not likely to admit it publicly, but there is plenty of opportunity for some comparisons to work in his favour. Comparing against everything Guardiola achieved in 10 years is always going to be a losing battle, but that did not make the reign a perfect one.
Certainly in the last two years, there was plenty of room for improvement. Maresca has already impressed with his tactical nous in the Champions League game at Porto and then the derby at Old Trafford, and looking solely at results the team are already ahead of where they ended up with Guardiola.
City lost two of their opening three league games last year, and even looking at the respective fixtures Maresca's side are ahead. Their win at United gives them three more points than that fixture gave them a season ago on top of matching the other four results, and they also have two more points from their first Champions League away game; they drew 2-2 at Monaco last time.
It is still early days obviously, and there are plenty of tests ahead: Liverpool away and PSG at home immediately after the international break are two games where City would have to win to match Guardiola's record last season. But there are also opportunities to make further gains coming up before the end of October, such as Aston Villa away (loss last season) or Brighton at home (draw).
To be currently tracking ahead of City's record last season from respective fixtures is impressive given that team pushed Arsenal until the final week for the Premier League title and also picked up two trophies in the domestic cups. There is a long way to go, yet there is also an expectation that the team will improve as they take on board more of Maresca's ideas.
As City side three points clear of Arsenal at the top of the league after five games, it is worth remembering Guardiola's advice for supporters after his final game in charge of the club. "This business is so complicated," he said. "When you win a game at the Etihad, celebrate it, enjoy it, go in the pubs in Manchester, have a good beer. Then demand the players fight, demand the players run.
"That is the best way we can move on. Every single step, everything you do, don't wait to win the Premier League to be happy, don't wait to win the Champions League to be happy. Enjoy the process, and the guys, because I know all the players here, they will do it, I know."
Even if that defensive display against Sunderland is still giving Blues jitters, 10 goals scored at home across four days and seven wins in a row to start the season should make everyone happy - including Guardiola, watching from afar.