LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 11: Enzo Maresca, Manager / Head Coach of Manchester City celebrates after the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Manchester City at Anfield on October 11, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

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It was never going to be easy for Enzo Maresca to follow in Pep Guardiola’s footsteps.

The Italian may have served as assistant under Manchester City’s era-defining head coach in the past, but the club was always going to suffer some sort of withdrawal when Guardiola left.

So add on the prospect of a hefty points deduction coming City’s way at any time after being found guilty of 114 charges for various rule breaches and it’s understandable that things have started to get tough – even if the club disputes the verdict and is appealing.

A 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the weekend was the Cityzens’ third successive league defeat and increases the risk they could be dropping out of championship contention before any possible punishment is even administered.

There may still be months of legal wrangling to go before anything happens – in fact, it may not even be settled this season – so Maresca is left to handle a constant sense of uncertainty until there’s news. Is Man City in a title race or a relegation battle? Do the points they’re playing for even matter?

That level of doubt will naturally impact player performances at elite level, with even the slightest dip in focus likely to be felt across the entire team. For a coach who is still finding his feet in the role, Maresca must instill a siege mentality to make his players feel like it’s them against the world.

That’s easier to do when things are going well. Seven wins in a row at the start of the season was an English Premier League (EPL) record for a new coach and the 3-0 win against rival Liverpool in the first game after the judgment was a statement result, yet it’s not so simple when the momentum fades and problems appear.

Let’s not forget that the City team Maresca took over from Guardiola wasn’t without its issues. Under the Spaniard, the club had gone two years without winning the EPL – after winning six of the previous seven – before he stepped down.

A leaky defense and an over-reliance on striker Erling Haaland for goals were evident in Guardiola’s final campaigns, while a squad in transition still needed molding into a cohesive unit.

Maresca is well equipped to handle the tactical side of this as a highly regarded coach, although his Chelsea side also showed a soft underbelly defensively at times during his tenure. His record at Stamford Bridge also showed a trend that might be starting to emerge at City, with impressive winning or unbeaten runs followed by a run of inconsistent results.

The players he has at his disposal at the Etihad Stadium are arguably of a better standard to help him correct that streaky form more quickly, while a smaller City squad compared to the one he had at Chelsea should ease concerns about rotation.

The unique motivational challenge facing Maresca in City’s current situation is something entirely new and requires a specific set of man-management skills. Whereas at Chelsea, he let off steam by speaking out in the press, he currently has less freedom to speak openly in public.

How Maresca deals with that pressure will probably characterize his reign. While events off the pitch might be out of his control, he needs to find a way not to let them impact results and performances – especially in the league.