Enzo Maresca has backed Elliot Anderson’s assessment that Manchester City are the “kings of Manchester” as he prepares for his first derby in charge of the club. City travel to Old Trafford seeking to continue their perfect start to life under Maresca and further prove Anderson’s point. The 23-year-old midfielder made his claim on signing from Nottingham Forest for £116m in the summer and having witnessed City win eight Premier League titles during the past 14 years, compared with United’s one.
It’s normal when Elliot said that,” said Maresca. Pep Guardiola was often vocal on the subject of fixture scheduling but Maresca has taken it more in his stride and offered little sympathy to his opposite number. I don’t have any doubt that Man United are going to be ready for that.
It just matters to adapt. It happened last year with us, this season with them, next season it will happen with a different team.” Maresca will welcome back Nico O’Reilly after the midfielder was a late withdrawal from the win over Coventry last week and missed the trip to Portugal with a back problem, but Jérémy Doku is not fit to return from a calf injury picked up in the Community Shield defeat to Arsenal. Across his career as a player and coach, Maresca has been involved in some of the game’s biggest rivalries, enjoying the Manchester derby as part of Guardiola’s backroom staff.
That is very hot.” Maresca said. For the fans, first of all, for the club, for the players, for the coaching staff.”
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