Enzo Maresca raised a few eyebrows when he described Sunderland as potentially City’s toughest opponents of the season so far.
City have won their opening four Premier League games while Sunderland arrive at the Etihad with only four points from four. But a look beyond the results helps explain why Maresca has been so wary.
Sunderland have created far more than they have scored
Sunderland have scored only three Premier League goals this season, which hardly screams ‘danger.’
Their expected goals figure is 6.2, however, while they have also hit the woodwork three times. The chances have been there; putting them away has been the problem. That fits with what Maresca has seen.
The City boss watched Sunderland’s defeat by Arsenal live and then went back over the game as part of his preparation for this afternoon. He concluded that Sunderland did not deserve to lose. Maresca also picked out their aggression and ability to win duels when explaining why he expects such a difficult game.
Set-pieces offer another warning
Two of Sunderland’s three league goals have come from set-pieces. They have also put 50 crosses into the opposition penalty area, while Nordi Mukiele’s long throws give them another route into the box.
City will expect to dominate possession at the Etihad. Sunderland don’t necessarily need much of it to put Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal under pressure.
Haaland still has a Sunderland box to tick
Then there is a slightly odd Erling Haaland stat. The Norwegian has scored against every Premier League opponent he has faced except Sunderland.
He drew a blank in both meetings last season, despite City winning 3-0 at the Etihad before being held to a 0-0 draw at the Stadium of Light on New Year’s Day.
That won’t mean much when the game kicks off at 2pm, but it does add another little wrinkle to a fixture City didn’t have entirely their own way last season.
Maresca has watched enough of Sunderland to know that already. His description of this as potentially City’s toughest game of the season may have sounded like standard pre-match caution. The numbers suggest there was a little more behind it.
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