Pep Guardiola exit: Winners and losers from Enzo Maresca replacing Man City boss at end of Premier League season

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola looks set to call time on an incredible career at the Etihad, and he leaves as one of the greatest to have ever graced the Premier League.

Former Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is said to be the frontrunner to replace the Catalonian, and he faces a difficult task to achieve the same type of success.

The Italian did win two trophies during his time at Stamford Bridge, but it would be understandable if some City fans were sceptical.

However, the exit of Guardiola and the appointment of Maresca will not only have an impact on the future of the club itself, but also the wider Premier League landscape.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at the winners and losers from the impending arrival of Maresca at Man City.

Winner - The Premier League

It would be unfair to criticise Man City or Guardiola for winning at such a relentless rate, and they deserve immense credit for the unprecedented success they have achieved together.

However, the exit of the manager from England will almost certainly usher in a new era in the Premier League, one that will see new teams at the top of the tree more often.

Guardiola has coached City since the 2016-17, and he has managed to clinch six of the 10 league titles on offer, failing to claim the last two on offer.

The only two teams to beat the Spaniard to first place since 2017-18 have been Liverpool twice and Arsenal once, with the Gunners sealing first place after the Citizens were held by Bournemouth on Tuesday.

Maresca might have proven to be tactically astute, but nobody should expect him to win with City to the same extent as Guardiola.

Winner - Pep Guardiola

Guardiola will leave City as one of the greatest to have ever coached in the Premier League, and it is safe to say he has answered his critics.

When he arrived in England, many pundits questioned whether the 55-year-old's famously expansive style of play would translate well from Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

Those questions grew louder after he was only able to guide the club to a third-placed finish behind both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, but he responded by accumulating 100 points in the following campaign.

That division record is likely to remain unbroken for a considerable period, as is the streak of four consecutive league titles between 2020-21 and 2023-24.

It should be noted that Guardiola will also leave before any potential sanctions could be applied to City for alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules, so perhaps he will avoid any reputational damage.

Winner - Manchester United

Enzo Maresca could surpass all expectations, but he is almost certainly not going to enjoy the same type of success as his predecessor, so there may be an opportunity for Manchester United to escape the shadow of their neighbours.

Following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, the Red Devils have lingered behind the Citizens, watching as they won trophy after trophy, breaking many of the Scotsman's records en route to silverware.

After seeing Arsenal win the 2025-26 Premier League title, Michael Carrick and owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe must believe in their ability to oversee a dramatic transformation of United's fortunes.

City will likely have access to a vast array of resources, so they should still be able to hold their rivals at bay, but their will be a sense of vulnerability at the Etihad without Guardiola leading the club forward.

While Maresca could win honours and help get City back to the top of the table, success with the Italian is by no means guaranteed, and clubs like Manchester United have to put themselves in a position from which to capitalise.

Loser - Enzo Maresca

It might sound strange to suggest that securing one of the most coveted jobs in the country could be seen in a negative light, but Maresca will face the unfortunate consequence of following in the footsteps of a giant.

Regardless of what he does at the Etihad, the 46-year-old will be relentlessly compared to Guardiola, and those comparisons will follow him throughout the course of his tenure.

There is also the prospect of dealing with the fallout of sanctions, as while Guardiola will be elsewhere, Maresca will have to deal with the sporting and financial impacts of any punishment.

The Citizens have not yet been found guilty of any wrongdoing, but until they are cleared of their accusations, the charges will remain a dark cloud over Maresca's reign.

Loser - Manchester City fans

The exit of Guardiola will mark the end of an era at the Etihad for supporters, who have witnessed a remarkable transformation since the arrival of the current ownership in 2008.

Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini both won honours at City, but they only managed to win one league title each, failing to establish an era of dominance.

The arrival of Guardiola coincided with a brand of exciting football that had not been seen before in the Premier League, and while the Citizens did not win every trophy available to them, they firmly established a dynasty.

City were often criticised for their failure to bring home European silverware, but the club's Champions League triumph in 2022-23 truly cemented their place in the history books.

No amount of sanctions or punishments will be able to take away the memories of fans, who had to watch the club compete in the second tier as recently as 2001-02, but have now seen their team at the pinnacle of domestic and European football.

Loser - English football

Perhaps the biggest parting gift of Guardiola has been his positive impact on English football, with clubs across the country now attempting to use more attractive styles of play.

Of course, there have been viral mistakes made by defenders in lower leagues when trying to play out from the back, but managers, teams and players should be praised for trying to evolve tactically.

Prior to Catalonian's arrival, English sides were criticised for falling behind their European counterparts, and this was argued to have had an impact on the national team's prospects.

Guardiola's influence has extended into academy football, and the rise of young English stars has fuelled hopes of English dominance on the global stage.

England under Thomas Tuchel are seen as one of the favourites for the World Cup in 2026, and there is no reason to think that the Three Lions will not continue to compete for honours considering the immense talent at youth level.

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