Top News

Manchester City won six Premier League titles under Pep Guardiola, and the club’s owners are not prepared to see those standards drop under Enzo Maresca.

Manchester City have signalled clearly what they expect in terms of competitiveness from Enzo Maresca in his first season in charge at the Etihad.

The Cityzens opened their campaign with a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield final, with the Gunners having finally edged past Guardiola’s side to the Premier League title last season.

Maresca’s team responded strongly by collecting six points from their first two league matches against Bournemouth and Crystal Palace in the English top flight — but that level has to be maintained if the Italian is to avoid coming under scrutiny.

Manchester City ended the 2025-26 Premier League season in second place, seven points behind Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who succeeded on their fourth attempt.

Guardiola’s side had previously beaten Arsenal’s 84-point total with 89 points in 2022-23, and then finished with 91 points compared to the Gunners’ 89 in 2023-24. In 2024-25, Arteta’s side then lost out to Liverpool, with 84 points to 74.

The Cityzens also got the better of Arsenal in the Carabao Cup last year, before narrowly defeating Chelsea in the FA Cup to complete a domestic double in Guardiola’s farewell season.

After two Premier League matches, Manchester City sit at the top of the table, level with Arsenal on points and goal difference, and ahead only because they have scored more goals.

Internally, the mood is not only one of appreciation for the impressive performances Maresca has managed to get from his squad, but also a reminder of the standards expected at the club.

Manchester City journalist Simon Bajkowski has reported that the club believe the team should deliver an even better campaign than the one Guardiola oversaw before leaving in May.

“There is confidence at Man City that the recruitment is good enough to expect Enzo Maresca to fight across all four competitions,” he said.

“With depth cited in every position despite wholesale changes, there is even an internal belief that Man City are in better shape for this season than last year.”

That feeling is hardly surprising given the scale of Manchester City’s spending in the transfer market — including breaking the British transfer record to sign former Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

Elsewhere, they also signed World Cup breakthrough talent Ayyoub Bouaddi for just under €100 million, and had nearly broken the British record for another midfielder before eventually completing Enzo’s deal.

That player was former Nottingham Forest prospect Elliot Anderson, who moved to the Etihad for an astonishing £116 million. He has since started all three of the club’s opening matches.

Whether Maresca can genuinely challenge for both the Premier League and Champions League titles is still to be determined, but the message from within the club is unmistakable. Those are the expectations, and if they are not met, scrutiny will follow.