Manchester City face a defining period after the departures of Pep Guardiola and Rodri, two figures who played central roles in establishing the club as one of Europe’s dominant forces. Enzo Maresca now has the difficult assignment of keeping City at the top of both English and continental football.

The Guardian’s writers have tipped City to finish second this season, while the club also ended the previous campaign in the same position. For Maresca, however, simply matching that result may not be enough given the standards established during Guardiola’s reign.

Maresca Inherits a Reshaped Squad

Taking over from Guardiola was already a daunting challenge. Rodri’s subsequent move to Barcelona has made the transition even more complicated, removing one of the most influential midfielders in modern football from Maresca’s plans.

Rodri, who helped Spain win the World Cup, could be on course for another Ballon d’Or after his performances on the international stage. His ability to dictate the rhythm of matches in the Premier League and Champions League will be difficult to replace.

City have also lost John Stones, Nathan Aké and Bernardo Silva. Those departures leave Maresca with several important gaps to address as he attempts to establish his own version of the team.

There is at least a major addition in midfield. Elliot Anderson arrived from Nottingham Forest for £116m after making a strong impression with England at the World Cup. His arrival could prove particularly important given the absence of Rodri.

Further forward, Maresca can rely on Erling Haaland, who is expected to be among the leading contenders for a fourth Premier League Golden Boot in five seasons.

Phil Foden is another major question. The Stockport-born midfielder has recently secured a lucrative new contract, but his performances remain an area of uncertainty. His ability to combine with Rayan Cherki and once again become a creative focal point for his boyhood club could have a major influence on City’s season.

Stability Beyond the Pitch

Away from football matters, City continue to operate as one of the Premier League’s most highly developed organisations. Their structure and pursuit of high standards have frequently been held up as an example of modern sporting management.

That reputation remains accompanied by the long-running case involving 130 alleged breaches of Premier League regulations. More than three years have passed since the charges were announced, while City continue to reject the allegations.

The club has nevertheless continued expanding the Etihad Stadium. The newly opened Pep Guardiola Stand was inaugurated for Guardiola’s final home fixture last season, helping increase the ground’s capacity from 53,400 to 61,000 spectators.

City Maintain Their Connection With Supporters

Sheikh Mansour remains an immensely popular figure among City supporters following an ownership period that transformed the club into a domestic and European powerhouse.

The club has continued to emphasize affordability as well. Ticket prices have been kept unchanged for a third straight season, while all 4,000 newly introduced flexi season tickets in the Pep Guardiola Stand have already been sold.

The pay-as-you-go scheme includes a significant commitment to younger supporters, with half of those tickets allocated to junior fans. City have also introduced £10 tickets for residents of the five wards surrounding the stadium.

Maresca Embraces the Challenge

Whether Maresca is showing remarkable confidence or taking an enormous gamble by attempting to follow Guardiola will become clearer over time. The 46-year-old, however, has made it clear that he does not view the City position as an impossible or poisoned assignment.

Instead, Maresca has described the opportunity as exciting and a privilege. He has also stressed that chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak, director of football Hugo Viana and chief executive Ferran Soriano share a common objective: maintaining City’s winning culture while finding ways to improve the club every season.

Maresca arrives with an already impressive record. His managerial honours include the Championship with Leicester City, as well as the Conference League and Club World Cup with Chelsea.

Winning the Premier League immediately would represent another significant addition to that résumé.

Anderson Faces a Huge Midfield Test

Rodri’s exit has opened the door for Anderson to take on a much greater role in the centre of City’s midfield. The decision to spend £116m on the former Nottingham Forest player indicates just how highly Maresca and Viana rate his potential.

Anderson’s path to this point has not been straightforward. During five years as a senior player at Newcastle, he struggled to establish himself as an automatic starter. His performances for England at the World Cup, however, offered glimpses of a midfielder capable of controlling games with both long-range distribution and shorter, consistent passing.

Those qualities could help him occupy some of the creative and controlling responsibilities previously associated with Rodri.

For Anderson, the opportunity could hardly be bigger. Establishing himself as a key figure in City’s midfield would represent a defining stage in his career.

Set Pieces Remain a Concern

One of City’s clearest statistical weaknesses last season came from dead-ball situations. The team conceded more league goals from set pieces in 2025-26 than it had across the two previous campaigns combined.

Some of those goals proved particularly damaging. Aston Villa and Newcastle both secured victories over City with winning goals originating from corners.

Maresca will need to improve that area, although his own record at Chelsea provides little reason for immediate confidence. Chelsea conceded from set plays roughly once every three league matches during his time there, a rate that was marginally worse than City’s figure last season.

Defensive organisation from dead-ball situations therefore looks like one of the issues demanding early attention.

Vitor Reis Waits for His Chance

Vitor Reis could also become an important figure if Maresca chooses to give the young defender a greater role.

City brought Reis to England in January 2025, but his opportunities during that campaign were limited to four appearances. His first outing was particularly difficult. At just 19, he was taken off at half-time while City were 1-0 behind against Leyton Orient in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

He responded with a full appearance in the next round, helping City secure a 3-1 win. His subsequent involvement remained sporadic, including a late 89th-minute appearance during the 2-0 league victory at Leicester in April.

His only other appearance for City that season came in the Club World Cup, where he completed the entire match as they defeated Wydad Casablanca 2-0 in June.

Reis spent the following campaign on loan at Girona, whose season ended with relegation. Despite that outcome, the Brazilian defender is understood to have made a positive impression during his time in Spain.

World Cup Experiences Shape the Squad

Rodri’s international success represented the ultimate achievement for a footballer. He captained Spain to the World Cup title and played such a decisive role in their triumph that he was selected as the tournament’s best player.

Cherki’s experience with France was considerably less influential. The attacking midfielder made six substitute appearances and started once as France reached the semi-finals, where Spain eliminated them.

Given the depth of attacking talent available to France, Cherki’s limited involvement was somewhat surprising. City will hope the player can enjoy a much greater role at club level, particularly alongside Foden and Haaland.

For Maresca, the challenge is now clear. He must replace key pieces of Guardiola’s era while preserving the standards that turned City into a force in England and Europe. The first season of this transition will reveal whether the club can continue competing at the summit without two of its most influential figures.