[Scott Mason
Scott Mason](https://www.footballinsider247.com/author/scott-mason)
Correspondent AUTHORITY Sports journalist with experience at GamingINTEL and GRV Media; University of Wolverhampton graduate. FOCUS Data content, opinion, and general news coverage across the Breaking Media network. THE INSIGHT Scott utilises a network of club and industry contacts to deliver verified, broad-spectrum reporting. He provides the data and opinion foundations behind the headlines to ensure fans get the full story as it happens.
The Italian manager will now need to get back to the drawing board to ensure his side return to winning ways.
The pressure will undoubtedly begin to mount on Maresca, particularly after such a promising start to the campaign.
His side have looked far from their best in recent outings, and the Italian must now find a way to get his team performing consistently again, with one player on the chopping block in particular,
Ayyoub Bouaddi has done himself no favours in Man City pecking order
After an impressive season in Ligue 1 and a strong World Cup, Manchester City forked out a mammoth £85.6million on Ayyoub Bouaddi.
The 19-year-old managed to win just two of his five ground duels on Saturday, a 40 per cent success rate.
On the ball, Bouaddi also proved to be a net negative as well, as no player was dispossessed more than the African midfielders' total of three.
In truth, it was a game to forget for the summer signing, and perhaps a sign he is not yet ready to be a regular in the Premier League.
At 19 years old, there is lots of time for that to change, but time out of the starting XI must be the next step until there are clear signs he is adapting to England's top flight.
What is Man City's best midfield pairing?
Ahead of the upcoming games, Maresca will have plenty of decisions to make on his midfield pairing.
Enzo Fernandez is another option, but against Brighton he was also poor in a more advanced position.
But Argentine Fernandez is the likely best choice, as long as he can stick to remaining deeper and not leaving too much space for the opposition to run into.