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Enzo Maresca's first opportunity to lift a trophy as Manchester City boss comes this Sunday when they face Arsenal in the Community Shield.
Having claimed last season's FA Cup during Pep Guardiola's farewell campaign, City secured their spot in English football's traditional season opener against the side that edged them out for the Premier League crown. It will be Maresca's fourth game at the helm, following an unofficial debut draw with Inter, then back-to-back 3–1 victories over the K-League All-Stars and Atlético Madrid.
Maresca will be eager for his squad to send a message against the reigning champions at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. However, the Italian will be without several key players in his starting lineup, with Barcelona-linked Rodri ruled out entirely.
Here's the lineup City could go with this weekend.
Man City Predicted XI vs. Arsenal
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma—James Trafford would have been a strong candidate to start before his $60.5 million move to Leeds United. Gerónimo Rulli has stepped in as the new backup after joining from Marseille, but Donnarumma is expected to get the call against Arsenal.
RB: Matheus Nunes—Nunes looks set for a battle with new Arsenal recruit Christos Tzolis. The Greek winger will pose a real test after already contributing three goal involvements for Arteta's side.
CB: Abdukodir Khusanov—City have offloaded several center-backs this summer, most notably Nathan Aké and John Stones. That departure opens the door for the promising Khusanov to earn more game time.
CB: Rúben Dias—Though no longer the dominant force he was at his peak, Dias's experience and leadership remain vital assets within the City setup.
LB: Joško Gvardiol—Nico O'Reilly is unlikely to be thrown in from the start, and Maresca may prefer Gvardiol over Rayan Aït-Nouri to shore up the backline against Arsenal's pacey wide players.
CM: Nico González—Rodri's back problem means Maresca won't face too many awkward questions about his future amid the Barça speculation. In the meantime, González is expected to step into that role.
CM: Mateo Kovačić—The 32-year-old has already accumulated a third of his total appearances from last season in preseason alone under Maresca. He was restricted to just nine outings during an injury-plagued 2025–26 campaign.
RW: Savinho—Savinho has once again been linked with Tottenham Hotspur as frustration grows over his limited playing time. Maresca's appointment offers the skillful Brazilian a clean slate, and he must make the most of every chance he gets.
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AM: Phil Foden—City fans are desperate to see a revitalized Foden next season after he was left out of England's World Cup squad. Despite racking up 21 goal involvements last term, he fell short of expectations on too many occasions.
LW: Antoine Semenyo—Semenyo has hit the ground running, with the versatile winger already registering four assists in preseason. He has proven to be an outstanding acquisition and looks set to keep delivering under new management.
ST: Omar Marmoush—Erling Haaland is expected to be named among the substitutes this weekend, leaving Marmoush to spearhead the attack. A brace against Atlético sets him up for a tough test against a confident Arsenal backline.