Maresca’s New Era Begins Against Bournemouth

The Etihad Stadium will feel familiar on Sunday afternoon, but the story on the touchline is entirely new. Enzo Maresca takes charge of his first Premier League game as Manchester City manager when Bournemouth come to town, stepping into a role shaped for a decade by Pep Guardiola’s relentless dominance.

Six league titles and a Champions League sit in the rear-view mirror. The Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, though, was a jolt. Maresca’s first real task now is simple and unforgiving: steady the champions and show that City’s machine can keep rolling under new command.

Early Selection Headaches

Maresca’s first league XI comes with complications.

Jeremy Doku is out. The Belgian winger aggravated a calf problem during that Community Shield loss and has been ruled out for the next two to three weeks. Savinho will not be involved either, with a move to Tottenham Hotspur progressing in the background, and Omar Marmoush is expected to be in a similar situation if his own transfer to north London is finalised in time.

There is better news at the back. Matheus Nunes returns after missing the Arsenal game with a minor muscle issue and could slot in at right-back, potentially displacing Abdukodir Khusanov. It is not his natural role, but Maresca has never been shy about repurposing technical midfielders in deeper positions to help control the game.

Grealish Steps Up, Foden Stays Central

With Doku unavailable, Jack Grealish is set to reclaim the left flank. He finished the Community Shield there and now carries the responsibility of providing width and control on that side, especially against a Bournemouth team that will likely look to break quickly.

On the opposite wing, Antoine Semenyo faces his former club. Signed from Bournemouth in January, he offers direct running and power from the right, a contrast to Grealish’s more patient, possession-heavy style.

Phil Foden is expected to stay in his central role behind Erling Haaland, the creative heartbeat between the lines. City’s summer investment Elliot Anderson, a big-money arrival, continues alongside Mateo Kovačić in midfield as Maresca looks to bed in one of the club’s most significant recent additions. That double pivot will be key to setting the tempo and protecting a back four that is still taking shape under the new manager.

Haaland, August, and a Familiar Threat

Whatever else has changed at City, one thing hasn’t: Haaland remains the spearhead.

His record in opening weekends is brutal. Seven goals in his last four Premier League curtain-raisers underline his habit of starting fast. Stretch that out to the whole month of August and the numbers stay eye-catching – 22 goals in just 14 career appearances. City may be adjusting to a new manager and shifting pieces around him, but the Norwegian’s presence gives Maresca a reassuring constant.

Behind him, Gianluigi Donnarumma is set to continue in goal. In front of the Italian, the expected back four reads: Nunes at right-back, Rúben Dias and Joško Gvardiol as the central pairing, and Nico O’Reilly at left-back. It is a blend of established authority and emerging talent, tasked with providing a platform for City’s more familiar attacking weapons.

Predicted Manchester City XI

Maresca is expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1:

Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Anderson, Kovačić; Semenyo, Foden, Grealish; Haaland.

Kick-off and Broadcast Details

Manchester City vs Bournemouth kicks off at 14:00 BST on Sunday, 23 August 2026 at the Etihad Stadium.

The game will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.

A decade of Guardiola has set a ruthless standard. On Sunday, Maresca finds out how quickly he can convince everyone that City are still built to live at that height.