Enzo Maresca has made clear that Sunderland will be a difficult test for his in-form Manchester City side on Sunday.
Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has outlined that Sunderland will be his side’s “toughest” game of the season so far on Sunday afternoon, whilst also making some controversial comments on the Black Cats’ Arsenal loss.
Sunderland head to the Etihad Stadium in solid form, having drawn 1-1 at Brentford before pushing reigning Premier League champions Arsenal to the brink before submitting to a 2-0 defeat, and then beating Eredivisie leaders AZ Alkmaar 1-0 in midweek to begin their Europa League campaign with a historic and hard-fought win.
However, Sunderland’s opponents City are in even more impressive form, having beaten bitter rivals Manchester United 1-0 last weekend in the Premier League before battering Championship outfit Norwich City 5-0 on Wednesday evening to advance comfortably in the Carabao Cup.
For Sunderland, City will pose a similar challenge to the Gunners amid their unbeaten run under Maresca’s new stewardship, but the former Chelsea boss has paid Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland side some huge compliments ahead of this weekend’s Premier League meeting.
Sunderland players celebrate Enzo Le Fee's goal vs AZ Alkmaar (Action Images via Reuters)Man City boss Enzo Maresca Praises Sunderland and Regis Le Bris
Historically and form-wise, City head into Sunday’s visit of Sunderland as firm favourites for victory, considering that the Citizens have not lost a league home game against the Black Cats since January 1998.
However, the unbeaten run and historic dominance in favour of City will not deter Sunderland from their quest to get a result from last season’s Premier League runners-up, who are buoyed by their prideful performance in defeat to Arsenal and their momentous first European football win in over five decades.
As a result, both teams will be fancying themselves for a result, and City boss Maresca has made clear that Le Bris’ Sunderland side will be City’s “toughest game since the start of the season.”
In addition, he explained that Sunderland did not deserve to lose against Arsenal despite the 2-0 scoreline because of their mammoth performance.
In his pre-Sunderland press conference, Maresca said: “I watched them the last two days, three or four games. I know them, how strong they are, and have the feeling we need a top performance to beat them, be 100% to win.
“I watched the game live against Arsenal, then again the last two days. If you watch, you can realize how strong they are. I think personally that they didn’t deserve to lose that game.
“They are very strong, very well coached. They already have time together, you see what they want to do on and off the ball.
“My feeling is on Sunday it will be the toughest game since the start of the season. If you watch them, you are not surprised [at how well they have done], because you will realise how good they are, on the ball, off the ball, how aggressive they are, the amount of duels that they win every game.
“The team got promoted then [qualify for] Europe, you are surprised - but if you watch, you are not surprised because you realise how good they are.
“But in front of our fans, it’s always nice and special, so much better here than away. It’s important in case we win, it’s one more.
“But I have the feeling Sunderland will be the toughest since we started the season.”
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Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca (REUTERS)How Sunderland Fared Against Man City Last Season
Last season in the same fixture, Man City ran out 3-0 victors over visiting Sunderland, with Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol and Phil Foden getting on the scoresheet for Pep Guardiola’s side before Black Cats defender Luke O’Nien was branded a red card in the final stages.
In typical fashion, City showed their dominance and control in possession with 65 percent of the ball, limiting Sunderland to just one shot on target and cruising to three points.
Just over a month later, however, Sunderland held City to a goalless stalemate at the Stadium of Light and were much more imposing from an attacking sense despite being dominated against in possession once again.
On Sunday, it will be expected to see Maresca's City dominate the ball again, but the positive signs for a result are there for Sunderland following their hard-fought display against the Gunners and their impressive win over Alkmaar on Wednesday.
