Would Enzo Maresca benefit from Man City points deduction? Joleon Lescott explains why Pep Guardiola’s successor will not be looking for assistance from FFP penalty

Maresca, who once worked alongside Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium, finds himself back in familiar surroundings. He has taken on the unenviable task of following in the most glittering of coaching footsteps.

His predecessor spent 10 memorable years in Manchester, winning 20 trophies, and leaves the biggest of shoes to fill in the dugout. Trying to emulate the efforts of a modern day great could be considered an almost impossible task.

Ex-Leicester and Chelsea manager Maresca - who savoured Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup successes at Stamford Bridge - believes that he is up to the challenge. He is, however, waiting to discover whether City will start the 2026-27 on a level footing with their domestic rivals.

A long-running FFP saga - which involves at least 115 charges - is expected to see a verdict delivered at some stage in the not too distant future. Various punishments have been speculated on, from transfer embargoes to hefty fines via expulsion from the English top-flight.

City could be stung with a points deduction, and the size of that would determine whether they are considered realistic contenders for another title triumph. Would the removal of some expectation help Maresca to settle and give him time in which to find his feet?

When that question was put to Lescott, the former Citizens defender - speaking in association with BettingZonderCruks - told GOAL: “I don't know what that's going to look like. I'm sure the club don't want that. I'm sure he doesn't want that. No-one wants that.

“He hasn't joined City, and City haven't appointed him to not win trophies, and not be challenging at the top of the table. So in regards to points deductions, I hope it's minimal, if any. I'm not aware of anything coming any time soon, so I'm sure the club are preparing to win the league, and win every competition they enter this season.”

City are aware that moving on from an iconic head coach can be difficult - with Manchester United and Arsenal having previously found it tricky to find suitable replacements for Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger respectively.

Asked if there are any fears at the Etihad that similar issues may be endured, with Maresca operating under a sizeable shadow, Lescott - who won two Premier League titles with City - added: “I think the clubs are slightly different. I think the way the game has changed now, and it's not just the Man City, Man United thing, I think even Arsenal now, I think City understand, and I think most teams have learnt from the Manchester United transition.

“I think they were heavily reliant on Sir Alex, and rightly so because he's had so much success, and the club haven't allowed Pep to control every factor of the club. He controls a lot, he has a lot of say in a lot of things, but I'm sure, and I'm aware that there's a lot of things he doesn't involve himself in, and the club don't involve him, because there was preparing for life after Pep.

“The day was always going to come where he wasn't going to be the manager, so I'm confident they're in a better place to make this transition.

“Does it mean they're going to go on and win the league? There's no guarantee. I still believe Arsenal are in the best place to do that, out of all the teams, due to the squad they have, it's pretty much the same, the coach has been there for the longest period of time, they're used to playing in the Champions League.

“So if you're looking at Liverpool have a new coach, Chelsea new coach, Man United are new to the Champions League again, so there's so many factors that other clubs are having to deal with in regards to the ones that we deem the favourites. I think Arsenal are the best placed for all them factors.”

Maresca’s reign will be opened in a series of pre-season friendly fixtures, which carry City into a Community Shield clash with Arsenal on August 16. A week later they will get their Premier League campaign up and running at home to Bournemouth.

It remains to be seen how a new era will unfold on the blue half of Manchester, and whether supposed monetary mismanagement of the past will leave Maresca playing catch-up in the present.