Manchester City vs Arsenal: Maresca's First Trophy Shot

Enzo Maresca doesn’t have to wait long for his first shot at a trophy as Manchester City manager. It comes on Sunday, against the team that snatched the Premier League crown from them. Arsenal in the Community Shield, a new man in the City dugout, and a familiar expectation: win.

City earned their place in English football’s season-opener by lifting last season’s FA Cup in Pep Guardiola’s farewell campaign. Now the Guardiola era is over, the reset button has been hit, and Maresca walks straight into a showpiece occasion at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. It will be only his fourth game in charge, but the dress rehearsal has gone well enough: a draw with Inter on his unofficial debut, then back-to-back 3–1 wins over the K-League All-Stars and Atlético Madrid.

This, though, is different. This is Arsenal. This is the first real statement game.

Maresca heads into it with problems as well as possibilities. Several key names are missing from his ideal XI, and Rodri — the Barcelona-linked heartbeat of City’s midfield — is out completely with a back injury. That absence alone reshapes the spine of the side and the tone of the afternoon.

Even so, the Italian still has a strong hand to play. Here’s how City are likely to line up.

Man City predicted XI vs. Arsenal

• GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma This time last month, James Trafford would have been the obvious pick. Then came his $60.5 million move to Leeds United, ripping up that script. Gerónimo Rulli has arrived from Marseille to serve as the new No. 2, but a showpiece against the reigning champions points directly to Donnarumma. Maresca is expected to trust the established star for his first shot at silverware.
• RB: Matheus Nunes Nunes continues his reinvention as a right-back and is set for a fascinating duel with new Arsenal signing Christos Tzolis. The Greek winger has already produced three goal contributions for Mikel Arteta, and he will test Nunes’ defensive discipline. If Nunes switches off, Tzolis will punish him. If he steps up, City gain an extra playmaker from deep.
• CB: Abdukodir Khusanov City’s centre-back department has been stripped back over the summer, with Nathan Aké and John Stones among the notable departures. That exodus opens the door for Abdukodir Khusanov. The young defender has been edging towards greater responsibility, and this is the sort of occasion that can fast-track a career. Maresca needs legs, aggression, and bravery on the ball. Khusanov ticks those boxes.
• CB: Rúben Dias He is no longer the unshakeable colossus of his early City years, but Rúben Dias still anchors this back line. His presence, his voice, and his sense of timing in big games remain vital. With a reshaped defence around him and Arsenal’s attack buzzing, Dias’ leadership is non-negotiable. Maresca leans on him to keep the structure intact.
• LB: Joško Gvardiol On the left, the temptation might be to unleash Rayan Aït-Nouri, but the stakes and the opponent push Maresca towards Joško Gvardiol. With Arsenal boasting serious pace and trickery out wide, Gvardiol’s defensive solidity and physicality become crucial. Nico O’Reilly is unlikely to be risked from the start, so Gvardiol’s selection feels like the pragmatic call to shore up the back four.
• CM: Nico González Rodri’s absence changes everything in midfield. It also spares Maresca a flurry of awkward questions about the Spaniard’s future amid ongoing Barcelona links. Into the void steps Nico González. He is expected to sit at the base, recycle possession, and try to mimic at least some of Rodri’s control. It’s a demanding assignment, but this is the opportunity he has been waiting for.
• CM: Mateo Kovačić Alongside him, Mateo Kovačić brings experience and rhythm. The 32-year-old’s preseason workload under Maresca has already reached roughly a third of his entire appearance tally from last season, when injuries limited him to just nine games in 2025–26. Now he looks sharper, more trusted, and central to how City progress the ball through the thirds.
• RW: Savinho Savinho’s situation crackles with tension. Linked again with Tottenham Hotspur and frustrated by a lack of meaningful minutes, he needs this new regime to change his story. Maresca represents a reset, but resets only matter if the player delivers. The Brazilian winger is tricky, direct, and unpredictable. This is his chance to turn irritation into impact.
• AM: Phil Foden All eyes, as so often, will drift towards Phil Foden. Left out of England’s World Cup squad, he comes into this season with a point to prove. Twenty-one goal involvements last term sound impressive on paper, yet the feeling around the Etihad was one of underachievement. City fans want the sharper, braver, more decisive Foden back. Maresca wants a leader between the lines. This stage is perfect for both.
• LW: Antoine Semenyo On the opposite flank, Antoine Semenyo has simply carried on where he left off. Four assists already in preseason underline his growing influence. Versatile, relentless, and unselfish, he has turned into one of City’s smartest signings of recent years. Under new management, there is no sign of his momentum slowing.

Maresca steps into Cardiff with a patched-up midfield, a reshaped defence, and a forward line full of ambition and subplots. Arsenal arrive as champions. City arrive as hunters again.

For a manager only three games into his reign, this is quite a stage to make his first real statement.