Manchester City have won eight games on the spin since a defeat in the Community Shield
Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca
Enzo Maresca has enjoyed a dream start on the pitch since taking over as Manchester City boss
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They say a change is as good as a rest and if that is the case then Enzo Maresca must be the most relaxed man in football.
The Manchester City boss has presided over a perfect start to the Premier League season with the Blues six from six and three points clear at the top of the table.
The latest victory - at Liverpool on Sunday - saw City deliver a performance against the backdrop of the guilty verdict in the long-running 115 case against the Premier League and at a ground where they haven't tasted success too often in the last two decades.
And while the cloud of the charges hangs over City, the top-flight and English football in general, the way Maresca has managed matches from the sidelines is commendable.
The Italian replaced Pep Guardiola in the summer with plenty wondering whether he would be able to hit the ground running following a decade of the Catalan. City have done that and then some and one Maresca trait that has stood out in the opening weeks is his use of substitutions.
The City boss has an enviable squad and a host of options to turn to on the bench but the timing of his replacements has been impeccable and the impact has been sensational.
Anfield saw Jeremy Doku called for 10 minutes into the second half and within 12 minutes of his arrival the Belgian had tempted a second yellow card from Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, had a major hand in Erling Haaland's opener and scored a game-clinching second. It was a substitution of dreams for a manager.
And while it is easy to say in hindsight that bringing on Doku was an obvious move, doing it so soon after the break, and knowing the winger was the only real attacking game-changer among the subs, was a brave call.
Maresca had done similar in the Manchester derby last month when he replaced Cherki with Iliman Ndiaye at half-time. City were down to 10 men and sacrificing a playmaker like Cherki was again looked at with hindsight as an obvious call but at the time it was viewed by plenty as a defensive change designed to shore City up and protect a point. But the Senegal international's impact was impressive, with his ball-carrying ability helping City up the pitch, his energy providing an outlet and his ability having a say in the attacking third as the Blues claimed a 1-0 win. It was another feather in the Maresca cap.
It started on the opening day when the comeback win over Bournemouth was inspired by a Cherki goal and assist as City came from one down to win 2-1 in the final few minutes. And while calling for Cherki when chasing a game was perhaps an easy and obvious decision, he came on with half an hour to play and time to impact the contest.
Maresca had earlier replaced Rico Lewis with Matheus Nunes, just 12 minutes after the break, in a move to ensure City were able to stem the Bournemouth tide somewhat and provide a platform for Cherki and Co to turn the game on its head.
You can even extend that to his defensive thinking. Replacing Nico O'Reilly on Sunday with the City man on a booking was a smart move and his replacement Josko Gvardiol even popped up with a sublime assist for Cherki's third. There was a similar decision taken in Porto when Gvardiol was on a yellow and skirting close to being sent off when Maresca replaced him just minutes into the second period.
The City boss has barely put a foot wrong since his arrival at the club and the impact of his substitutions will have King Midas worrying for his crown.
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