Enzo Maresca will face his biggest examination since replacing Pep Guardiola as Manchester City manager when his side travel to Old Trafford for Sunday’s Manchester derby, with Erling Haaland providing a potent threat despite City’s less-than-convincing start.
City have won all four of their matches so far, including a Champions League victory in Porto, but their performances have raised questions about whether Maresca’s team have fully adapted to life after Guardiola.
A narrow 1-0 victory over Coventry last weekend came after the visitors squandered several chances, while City also required two late goals to overcome Bournemouth on the opening weekend.
Maresca has also overseen a major overhaul of the squad, with City spending a record £460 million ($623 million) during the summer. Midfielders Enzo Fernandez, Elliott Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi could make their first start together at Old Trafford.
Haaland, however, remains a familiar source of goals. The Norwegian has scored five times in four league matches and has already become City’s third-highest goalscorer with 167 goals.
“I’m really proud of these numbers but I’m only 26 and I’m hungry for more,” Haaland said.
United have endured a far less impressive opening. Michael Carrick’s side have collected only four points from matches against Hull, Ipswich and Everton, increasing the pressure ahead of a derby that could further expose the gap between the two Manchester clubs.
Elsewhere, Arsenal will attempt to maintain their perfect start when they travel to newly promoted Sunderland. Hull are the only other unbeaten team alongside last season’s top two, but their impressive defensive record will face a severe test against Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea.
Hull have yet to concede in their return to the Premier League, but Chelsea’s attacking firepower could provide their toughest challenge yet. Chelsea scored six second-half goals against Leeds in the League Cup, with Cole Palmer scoring twice and Morgan Rogers supplying four assists.
Palmer and Rogers helped take Chelsea’s tally to 16 goals in five games under Alonso, with Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto and Estevao also contributing to an attack that has quickly become one of the league’s most dangerous.
Hull manager Sergej Jakirovic joked about the difficulty of containing Chelsea’s forwards, saying his players would have to “kick them” because man-marking the attackers would not be enough.
At the opposite end of the table, Fulham are under mounting pressure after three consecutive defeats under Alvaro Arbeloa. The Spaniard is already the bookmakers’ favourite to be the first Premier League manager dismissed and now faces a difficult return to former club Liverpool.
Arbeloa insisted he remains confident, saying his players are working according to his expectations.
Fulham then face Manchester United before the international break, giving the club little time to reverse its fortunes.
Saturday: Bournemouth v Brentford, Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest, Chelsea v Hull, Liverpool v Fulham, Crystal Palace v Ipswich, Tottenham v Everton, Sunderland v Arsenal.
Sunday: Coventry v Brighton, Arsenal v Chelsea.
Monday: Leeds v Newcastle.
