Enzo Maresca addresses schedule disparity ahead of Manchester derby

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca stated teams must adapt to fixture congestion as his side prepares for Sunday's Premier League derby against Manchester United. Manchester City holds a two-day rest advantage after playing Porto on Tuesday, whereas Manchester United played Sabah on Thursday. Maresca dismissed concerns regarding the scheduling inequality, citing a similar situation his own team faced last September when preparing for a match against Arsenal. While Manchester City enters the fixture with three consecutive league wins, Manchester United seeks to improve its form after earning four points from three opening matches. Both clubs remain active in multiple competitions, with upcoming Carabao Cup fixtures against Norwich and Brighton respectively. Maresca noted that such scheduling fluctuations are a standard part of football management and occur across the league every season.

• 11:02 AMYahoo Sports — Teams need to adapt to fixture scheduling - Maresca
• 10:55 AMBBC Sport — Teams need to adapt to fixture scheduling - Maresca