Man City have 'two top players' who can stop Arsenal running off with league title
Enzo Maresca's early success at Manchester City is not surprising given the quality of his team and his experience working with Pep Guardiola.
That is the opinion of experienced former Everton, Aston Villa and Tottenham scout, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.
The Citizens have won their last five games across all competitions and have started perfectly in the Premier League, keeping clean sheets in their last three consecutive games.
Maresca faced a huge job replacing Guardiola after he called time on his hugely successful 10 years at Man City, and he appears to be coping far better than many thought he would.
The 46-year-old won trophies during his time at Chelsea, and certainly saw the club progress under his guidance before he left by mutual consent in January, but there were concerns as well.
Man City overcame their toughest test so far on Sunday when they beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford with just 10 men, in what was a hugely controversial contest.
Enzo Maresca 'looks more relaxed at Man City'
Replacing a manager who has spent a long time at their club is always an extremely difficult task for the successor.
Unai Emery failed to successfully replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, while David Moyes, and so far every manager after him, has not replicated Sir Alex Ferguson's presence at Man United.
The difference for Maresca is that his squad remains competitive and full of quality, having been supplemented dramatically in the summer.
"Listen, I'm not surprised by the way Manchester City have played. This fella's worked with Pep for a number of years at Manchester City," King told Football Insider.
"He went off and managed Chelsea. I think he showed that maybe Chelsea weren't the club for him, or London. But he's gone back, and if you're a decent coach or a decent manager and you've got good players, and he's got good players, then if you can keep them happy and keep them injury-free, you're always going to have a shout.
"He's got quality players at that football club. We saw it on Sunday. I mean, [Erling] Haaland scores a goal, and the goalkeeper [Gianluigi Donnarumma] makes the save, the save's right at the finish.
"That's the difference between being and having OK players, and top, top players. Look at the goal Haaland scored. I mean, I feel only he could have put that in. And the save, I mean, I know you can talk about [David] Raya's penalty save [against Sunderland], but that save at the finish.
"I mean, it just shows the quality that he's got in the football team. Good luck to him. He looks more relaxed at Man City than he did at Chelsea, doesn't he? Maresca. Not surprised."
What Man City players are saying about life under Maresca
Sustainability will be the test for Man City and Maresca this season. It has been a strong start, and it will need to continue if they are to keep up with an Arsenal side who look to be flying.
Guardiola was the expert of building long runs of wins, and the Italian will have his own methods.
"There's obviously many things from training sessions to some details about the way we press, details about the way we defend that make all of these Enzo's idea," Ruben Dias has explained.
"It's still a change, of course. Many things have changed, but in some ways continuity in terms of the way we are playing, and there are details that make it different. But still, all very similar to the way we have always behaved at the club."