Maresca Expects Toughest Test as City Host Sunderland

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has labeled Sunday's Premier League clash against Sunderland as the toughest test of his team's season so far, as the champions aim to maintain their perfect start to the campaign. City enter the fixture at the Etihad Stadium with a flawless record of 12 points from four league games, including a victory over Manchester United in the derby. Under Maresca, who succeeded Pep Guardiola, City have won six consecutive matches in all competitions since their Community Shield defeat to Arsenal, scoring 15 goals in the process. Sunderland, who earned promotion last season, have collected four points from their opening four Premier League matches but have shown resilience. They suffered a narrow 2-0 loss to Arsenal last weekend, a game Maresca felt they did not deserve to lose, and followed it with a 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Wednesday. Maresca praised Sunderland's strength and coaching, stating in a press conference that he has watched several of their recent games and recognizes their quality on and off the ball. He emphasized that City need a top performance to secure a win.