Sunderland arrive at the Etihad on Sunday having already made rather a mess of the idea that their return to the Premier League would be all about survival.
Regis Le Bris led the Black Cats to seventh place last season, securing European football at the first attempt, and their second campaign back in the top flight has started reasonably well too.
So what can Man City expect on Sunday?
Sunderland have moved on from survival
Last season was remarkable.
Sunderland had only just returned to the Premier League after eight years away but finished seventh with 54 points, becoming only the fifth promoted club to qualify for Europe through their league position in their first season back.
That followed a huge first summer of recruitment in which Sunderland spent £161m on 15 players.
There has been further investment this year, although on nothing like the same scale. Malick Fofana was the headline arrival from Lyon in a deal worth up to £31m, while Dayann Methalie joined from Toulouse and Kevin Danso arrived on loan from Tottenham.
Thomas Meunier and Juan Riquelme Angulo were among the other additions as Le Bris prepared his squad for the extra demands of European football.
How have they started?
Seven points from four Premier League games represents another decent start.
Sunderland lost 2-1 at Ipswich on the opening weekend but responded by beating Fulham 1-0 and drawing 1-1 at Brentford.
Their 2-0 defeat against Arsenal last weekend could easily have taken a different course. Enzo Le Fee had a penalty saved by David Raya with the game still goalless, and Bruno Guimaraes put Arsenal ahead just 121 seconds later.
Bukayo Saka added the second from the penalty spot in stoppage time after Reinildo was sent off. He will therefore be suspended for Sunday’s trip to Manchester.
Sunderland responded on Wednesday by beating AZ Alkmaar 1-0 in their first European match for 53 years. Le Fee, having missed from the spot against Arsenal, scored the winner from a penalty in the second half.
What should City expect?
A side who have become quite good at making games awkward.
Le Bris has built a team with plenty of physical strength and defensive organisation, while Le Fee provides quality in midfield and Fofana gives them another quick, direct threat from wide areas.
The results tell part of the story. Three of Sunderland’s last five games have ended in 1-0 victories, while four of those five have contained two goals or fewer.
Arsenal discovered last weekend that Sunderland are capable of frustrating the strongest sides, and City hardly need reminding.
Maresca’s side beat them 3-0 at the Etihad last December but were held to a goalless draw at the Stadium of Light on New Year’s Day.
Since returning to the Premier League, Sunderland have finished seventh, qualified for Europe and continued to strengthen. Seven points from their opening four league games suggests last season was not simply a one-off burst of momentum.
City will be expected to win at home on Sunday.
Anyone expecting it to be straightforward may be in for a long afternoon.
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