Enzo Maresca has matched a Premier League record for the best winning start to a managerial reign after guiding Manchester City to a memorable 3–0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield.
Enzo Maresca has made an outstanding start to life as Manchester City manager, matching a Premier League record after Sunday’s emphatic victory over Liverpool extended his winning run to six consecutive league matches.
City’s 3–0 triumph at Anfield marked Maresca’s sixth successive Premier League victory since taking charge from Pep Guardiola this summer, placing the Italian alongside three managers who previously won their opening six games in charge of a club.
The achievement is particularly impressive given the difficulty of winning at Anfield, where City had recorded only three league victories since the turn of the century before Sunday’s encounter.
Now, Maresca has the opportunity to go one better.
A victory over Ipswich Town next Saturday would make him the first manager in Premier League history to win each of his first seven league matches in charge of a club.
Maresca joins an elite group of managers
Maresca’s remarkable beginning places him alongside Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Ole Gunnar Solskjær, who also won their first six Premier League matches after taking charge of their respective clubs.
Guardiola achieved the feat when he began his Manchester City tenure in the 2016/17 season. Ancelotti recorded six consecutive victories after arriving at Chelsea in 2009, while Solskjær enjoyed the same winning start following his appointment at Manchester United in December 2018.
Maresca has now matched their achievement, underlining the immediate impact he has made since arriving at City.
However, the Italian has little time to celebrate the milestone, with another opportunity to make history waiting in the next league fixture.
Anfield victory highlights City’s progress
Winning six consecutive league matches is an impressive achievement in itself, but the manner and setting of City’s latest victory have added significance to Maresca’s record.
Anfield has long been one of the Premier League’s most challenging venues for visiting teams. City’s limited record there over the past two decades made Sunday’s result an important test of the new manager’s developing side.
After a competitive first half, City took control following Ryan Gravenberch’s dismissal. Erling Haaland opened the scoring before Jérémy Doku doubled the advantage with a superb finish. Rayan Cherki then completed the 3–0 victory with an impressive individual goal.
The result demonstrated City’s ability to remain patient, exploit opportunities and deliver when the match reached its decisive stage.
For Maresca, it was another significant result in a start that has exceeded expectations.
An impressive record across competitions
City’s progress under Maresca has extended beyond the Premier League.
The team has recorded league victories over Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Coventry City, Manchester United, Sunderland and Liverpool. City have also claimed wins against Porto in the Champions League and Norwich City in the Carabao Cup.
Across Maresca’s first six Premier League matches, City have scored 16 goals and conceded just five.
That attacking output, combined with their defensive record, has helped them collect 18 points from a possible 18 and establish a three-point lead at the top of the table.
Although the campaign remains in its early stages, the numbers underline the effectiveness of City’s start under their new manager.
How Maresca compares with City’s previous managers
Guardiola previously held City’s record for the best winning start to a managerial reign, winning his first six Premier League matches in charge during the 2016/17 season.
The club’s earlier managerial history also provides an interesting comparison.
Joe Mercer went unbeaten in his first seven league matches after taking charge in 1965, recording three wins and four draws. Although he avoided defeat throughout that opening run, he did not match Maresca’s current sequence of consecutive victories.
Les McDowall enjoyed an even longer unbeaten beginning in 1950, avoiding defeat in his first ten league matches. However, three of those games ended in draws, meaning his run also differed from Maresca’s perfect winning record.
Maresca’s achievement is therefore not simply about remaining unbeaten. It is about winning every one of his opening six Premier League fixtures.
Ipswich opportunity could make history
Attention now turns to City’s next Premier League fixture against Ipswich Town.
Another victory would take Maresca beyond the existing record of six consecutive wins at the beginning of a managerial reign, giving him a place of his own in Premier League history.
The challenge will be maintaining the standards that have carried City through their opening fixtures. Opponents will increasingly look for ways to disrupt the team’s rhythm, while the demands of competing across multiple competitions will test the squad’s consistency.
Nevertheless, City’s current form gives their supporters plenty of reason for optimism.
Maresca has combined strong results with an impressive goal return, and his side have already demonstrated that they can deliver on a major occasion away from home.
A promising new chapter for Manchester City
Maresca’s first six Premier League matches have provided an encouraging foundation for his tenure. The Italian has matched a historic record, guided City to the top of the table and delivered a significant victory against Liverpool at Anfield.
The next opportunity is already approaching, with Ipswich standing between the City manager and an outright record.
Six wins have brought Maresca level with some of the Premier League’s most successful managerial beginnings. A seventh would turn an exceptional start into an unprecedented achievement.
For now, City can take satisfaction from a perfect opening run and the momentum generated by their latest victory.
Maresca has matched history. His next challenge is to make it his own.
