Man City news & talking points

City have Sunderland next after a week of derby victory, Champions League success and progress in the Carabao Cup.

Enzo Maresca’s side have won six successive games in all competitions and their opening four in the Premier League. Sunderland visit the Etihad on Sunday.

Here are Saturday’s City news and talking points.

Maresca can join rare Premier League list

Maresca can become only the sixth manager to win his first five Premier League games in charge of a club.

Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola, Craig Shakespeare and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all won their first six, while Maurizio Sarri managed five.

Maresca will join that list if City beat Sunderland.

Maresca expects City’s toughest test

The City boss has spent the build-up making it clear what he thinks of Sunderland.

“I have the feeling that the Sunderland game will be the toughest game since we started the season,” Maresca said after watching several of their recent matches.

Sunderland finished seventh last season and qualified for the Europa League, while Regis Le Bris will take charge of his 100th game for the club at the Etihad.

Read Maresca’s Sunderland warning.

Following Guardiola a ‘privilege’

Maresca has also been discussing the job of following Guardiola after his 10 years in charge.

“For me to be in this club is a privilege and to be in this club after a legend like Pep is a privilege,” he said.

“I know if I don’t win it’s a disaster, and it’s normal, but I don’t spend my day thinking who was here before and for how many years.”

Read Maresca on replacing Guardiola at City.

Nunes reveals Bernardo and Dias influence

Matheus Nunes has revealed how Bernardo Silva and Ruben Dias badgered him into accepting that his future might be at right-back.

Nunes repeatedly told friends he was “not a full-back”, while his two Portugal team-mates kept telling him otherwise.

“The teammates, Bernardo and Ruben, were so annoying all the time as well, they were in my head constantly as well, ‘You were good there, you were good there. You need to accept it,'” he said.

Read Nunes on his switch to right-back.

Walker reflects on City’s Guardiola years

Kyle Walker believes the strength of City’s squad meant they would have won major trophies even without Guardiola.

The former City captain was also clear about the manager’s contribution before making that point.

“I think that’s why they’re at Manchester City and why Manchester City were so successful because we had a great manager,” Walker said.

“I think even if Pep wasn’t there we would have gone on and achieved a lot of things as well because we had a great team and a great togetherness within that.”

Read Walker’s full comments.

Sunderland were there at the start for Guardiola

Sunday’s opponents have a place in recent City history.

Guardiola’s first Premier League match as City manager was against Sunderland at the Etihad in August 2016. Sergio Aguero opened the scoring from the penalty spot before Jermain Defoe equalised, with Paddy McNair’s late own goal giving City a 2-1 win.

A decade later, Maresca is preparing for his own early-season meeting with Sunderland.

Read our look back at the Sunderland link between Guardiola and Maresca.

Five from five for City’s Under-18s

Lauris Coggin’s Under-18 side have also made a perfect start.

City beat Sunderland 4-1 last weekend to make it five wins from five, with Coggin describing it as their “most complete performance of the season”.

The Under-18 lead coach has also spoken about the relationship between the academy and Maresca’s first-team staff, describing it as “probably as strong as it’s ever been”.

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