Maresca says spotlight not on him ahead of Manchester derby

Enzo Maresca stated on Friday that he is not the main focus ahead of the upcoming Manchester derby. The City manager aims to maintain his team's perfect record this season as they face the Premier League leaders, Manchester United, in their toughest test so far. City have a strong record at Old Trafford in recent years, winning three consecutive matches at the venue, but fell short last season in Pep Guardiola's final game there.

Michael Carrick's United have had a difficult start to their season, winning only one of their first three matches and sitting five points behind City.

Maresca, who previously served as Guardiola's assistant at City, emphasized the importance of securing a derby win but stressed that his primary concerns are the team, fans, and the league table. He acknowledged that winning the derby would be beneficial for him as well, but reiterated that his main focus is to continue winning games for the good of everyone.

Since Alex Ferguson retired as a Premier League champion in 2013, City have been the dominant force in Manchester, finishing above United in every season. Maresca highlighted recent history as the reason why Elliot Anderson claimed that City were the "kings of Manchester," noting that the midfielder grew up during the club's impressive dominance in the past 15 years.

Maresca explained that the reason for Anderson's assertion is that Manchester City achieved remarkable success during that period, which is why it is natural for him to make such a claim.