Manchester City defensive problems under Enzo Maresca, Digi Mart USA News: Enzo Maresca has seen his side lose three Premier League games in succession. Despite seven straight victories at the start of 2026-27, City are six points off leaders Arsenal and slipping up the table.
The Athletic analysis says the stumble echoes a run in October 2024, when defeats by Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth triggered nine losses, three draws and just one win in 12 matches across all competitions. After keeping four clean sheets in their opening seven matches, City have conceded 20 goals in 10 games.
The biggest problem Maresca inherited from Pep Guardiola is a susceptibility to counter-attacks. City gave up the most fast-break shots in the league last term, and this campaign they are the worst-performing Premier League club on fast breaks, with 19 shots and four goals conceded.
Maresca’s insistence on building up in a 3-1-6 shape is also causing problems. City are routinely caught with too many players ahead of the ball and their lone midfielder isolated, and the analysis points to several goals arising from moves through or over the press.
Personnel decisions add to the strain. Spending a combined 270 million euros on Enzo Fernandez and Elliot Anderson this summer has pressured Maresca to fit both into his starting XI, though neither excels defensively.
Maresca has also named five different back fours in the Premier League and has yet to name an unchanged team.
The shot-stopping of Gianluigi Donnarumma has declined as well. Last season he had the highest save rate of any Premier League goalkeeper, but this campaign he has let many shots through and is statistically performing below average.
Errors in possession and defensive positioning continue to cost City, and whether they can fix their defence will largely determine the course of their season.
