Enzo Maresca has given Manchester City supporters a glimpse of two very different pre-match expressions as his side prepare for Sunday’s Premier League clash with Liverpool.
Enzo Maresca faces Liverpool for the first time as Manchester City manager on Sunday.More Videos
The Manchester City boss returned to managerial duties on Monday following a three-week international break, which saw many of his players feature for their respective countries.
Fears grew over Erling Haaland’s fitness after the striker requested to be substituted in the second half of Norway’s 2-1 defeat to Portugal on Sunday, with the 26-year-old undergoing an extended period of rest in Marbella until the Premier League returns.
Separately, City's £125 million signing Enzo Fernandez took part in Lionel Messi’s farewell game for Argentina, while Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly and Elliot Anderson all earned minutes for England across games against Spain, Croatia and the Czech Republic.
Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano has addressed club staff directly following the Premier League's publication of an independent commission finding that the club breached the league's financial rules between 2009 and 2018.cityxtra.co.ukManchester City CEO Ferran Soriano has addressed club staff directly following the Premier League's publication of an independent commission finding that the club breached the league's financial rules between 2009 and 2018.
Man City CEO Ferran Soriano Sends Rallying Message to Club Staff After Independent Commission Guilty Verdict
From serious to smiling with his thumbs up, Maresca’s shift in mood ahead of Liverpool
Maresca has started life as Manchester City manager exceptionally well - aside from a Community Shield loss to reigning Premier League champions Arsenal in August - by winning all five of his Premier League matches so far.
Those wins, which came against the likes of Manchester United, Bournemouth and Sunderland, put City on top of the league table on 15 points, three ahead of Arsenal.
Club action returns this weekend as City take on Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, though off-field matters have dominated headlines following severe financial rule breaches by the visiting side.
Maresca was seen arriving at the City Football Academy on Monday with a frowned expression that showed fatigue, perhaps some frustration and a lack of interest in the photographers to his right.
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However, just 24 hours later, the City boss was seen with an ear-to-ear grin, holding a thumb up to the photographers in a complete shift of mood that could tell a deeper story behind the scenes.
The deeper meaning behind Maresca’s mood shift ahead of Man City training
From what could simply be a shift in spirit, there could well be a hidden meaning behind Maresca's positive outlook on life following a first day back in office that was met with discontent.
As talk around the charges, the appeal, and a potential punishment continue, Maresca will only want to focus on what happens on the pitch, as he looks to make it six wins to extend a 100 per cent win rate in the English top-flight.
Liverpool will want to improve on an unbeaten start as well, not only because they have picked up three draws against Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, and Fulham respectively, but also to gain the bragging rights against City following the verdict met by the independent commission.
The Merseyside outfit missed out on two Premier League titles to Manchester City during the nine-season period, in which the club were found to have inflated club revenue by over £900 million, most notably in 2017/18, when 97 points weren't enough to lift the title.
Home supporters are planning to cause chaos ahead of kick-off at Anfield, with a bus greeting that could involve pyrotechnics, flares, bottles of alcohol and posters under circumstances similar to those of 2024 and 2018, where comparable scenes unfolded.