Manchester City will attempt to extend their perfect Premier League start under Enzo Maresca when Championship winners Coventry City visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

City followed a narrow opening victory over Bournemouth with a far more authoritative 4-1 success at Crystal Palace, while Frank Lampard’s Coventry remain without either a point or a goal after defeats to Arsenal and Hull City. The clubs have not met since 2002, but the circumstances surrounding their reunion make anything other than a home victory a major surprise.

Maresca’s ideas are already becoming visible at City

The late comeback against Bournemouth on the opening weekend earned Manchester City three points without providing especially convincing evidence that the transition from Pep Guardiola would be seamless.

Their performance at Selhurst Park offered much more. Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland scored twice apiece as City dismantled Crystal Palace 4-1, combining attacking efficiency with the kind of territorial control Maresca wants his team to establish.

The early numbers reveal just how quickly his methods are taking shape. No Premier League team has completed more successful passes than City’s 1,315, while their 90.9% completion rate also leads the division. Almost 95% of their passes have been short, illustrating Maresca’s determination to construct attacks patiently rather than forcing the game forward.

What matters is that such control is now beginning to create damage in the final third. Cherki has become particularly influential, contributing five goals and 10 assists across his 20 Premier League starts for City. Operating behind Haaland gives him the freedom to find pockets between midfield and defence, precisely the areas Coventry will need to protect.

Haaland presents the more obvious problem. His record against promoted opposition stands at 19 goals from 20 Premier League appearances, and Coventry arrive having already conceded three times to Arsenal before losing again against Hull.

Maresca also has even greater depth following the conclusion of the transfer window. Enzo Fernández could make his first start after City’s £125m deadline-day investment, although Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi provide strong competition in central midfield. Iliman Ndiaye is another new option on either flank, where Antoine Semenyo and Phil Foden could retain their places.

Matheus Nunes is available again and may challenge Abdukodir Khusanov at right-back, although Jeremy Doku remains sidelined by his calf problem.

City’s record at the Etihad makes the task confronting Coventry still more imposing. They have lost only twice in their last 20 Premier League home matches, winning 15, and have avoided defeat in 30 consecutive league meetings with newly-promoted teams.

Lampard needs Coventry to find an attacking foothold

Coventry knew their return to the Premier League would bring an enormous rise in difficulty. Their opening schedule has offered little opportunity for a gentle adjustment.

A visit to reigning champions Arsenal resulted in a 3-0 defeat before Hull left the Coventry Building Society Arena with a 1-0 victory last weekend.

Two matches without scoring is arguably the more troubling aspect of that start. Coventry’s promotion was built on a team capable of imposing itself on Championship opponents, but Premier League football has so far forced Lampard’s side into a very different type of contest. Against Arsenal they spent long periods trying to survive without the ball; against Hull, they failed to make enough of a more manageable assignment.

Lampard acknowledged after the latter defeat that his players had lessons to absorb. Unfortunately, the next examination comes against a City side that should subject their defensive structure to relentless movement and possession.

The Coventry manager may respond by adding another defender. Bobby Thomas is expected to recover after suffering cramp against Hull and could form part of a back five alongside Aurèle Amenda and Ethan Pinnock.

Frank Onyeka’s return from a hip injury is also timely. If fit enough to start, his physicality alongside Matt Grimes and Caleb Yirenkyi could give Coventry greater resistance through the centre.

Attacking options are less plentiful. Haji Wright remains out with a thigh injury and Sidiki Cherif is doubtful, potentially leaving Taiwo Awoniyi and Ephron Mason-Clark together at the front of the side.

Coventry do possess one unusual piece of history in their favour. They are unbeaten in their last eight top-flight meetings with Manchester City, winning four and drawing four.

The relevance of that record is limited, though. Those fixtures belong to a completely different footballing era, with the clubs meeting in the Premier League for the first time in more than three decades.

Verdict: Coventry may spend most of the afternoon defending

The contrast between the opening fortnight of these two clubs is substantial. City appear to be gathering speed under Maresca. The Bournemouth game exposed some early imperfections, but the four-goal performance at Palace showed what this squad can produce once its possession begins to translate into sustained attacking pressure.

Coventry have yet to demonstrate that they can consistently create chances at this level. Facing Arsenal and City within their opening three fixtures is a brutal introduction, and Lampard’s likely response will be to prioritise defensive numbers and try to keep the match alive for as long as possible.

That approach could delay City rather than stop them. With Cherki operating between the lines, Haaland occupying the centre-backs and numerous alternatives available from the bench, Maresca has too many attacking solutions for a Coventry defence still adapting to Premier League demands.

The visitors’ first goal of the season may have to wait. City should control the match and record a third consecutive league victory.

Tip

Manchester City to win to nil.