Gary Neville has called Enzo Maresca's appointment at Manchester City the 'ultimate test' for the Italian manager. Neville argues the club demands 'nothing less than winning' after a decade of unprecedented success under Pep Guardiola, who delivered 20 major trophies including six Premier League titles.

Maresca arrives with credibility, having served as Guardiola's assistant during the treble-winning 2022/23 campaign before leading Chelsea to Conference League and Club World Cup glory. However, Neville points out that City's expectations exceed even Chelsea's, given the squad's quality and recent disappointment of missing out on the Premier League crown in back-to-back seasons.

The rebuild is already underway with young talents like Nunes, O'Reilly, and Guehi forming a promising backline alongside Haaland and creative players. Neville believes Maresca's chances depend on solving midfield issues and securing squad buy-in. He compares it to Arne Slot's successful Liverpool transition, though warns that sustaining success proves equally challenging.

Despite the daunting task, City's infrastructure and recent £116m investment in Elliot Anderson provide foundations. Neville identifies defensive cover as the remaining priority, noting that scoring goals won't be an issue - it's about building the resilience needed to reclaim Premier League supremacy.