Manchester City hosts Coventry City this Saturday, Sept. 5, on Matchday 3 of the 2026-27 Premier League season.
Enzo Maresca’s side will look to continue its strong run, having won its first two matches of the season. For its part, Frank Lampard’s side has not had the best start, having lost its first two matches.
All eyes will be on 25-year-old Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who joined the Citizens from Chelsea for €145 million ($168.4m).
Naturally, Manchester City fans are eager to see whether Fernandez will feature in this match. According to specialised outlet City Xtra, Maresca is ready for both Fernandez and other recent arrivals, such as Allan Elias and Iliman Ndiaye, to make their debuts for the club against Coventry City.
Enzo Fernandez Set for Manchester City Debut
Specifically, the cited outlet’s report states that Maresca is ready to hand full debuts to Ayyoub Bouaddi and Fernandez. The former already saw minutes against Crystal Palace last week and could start this match.
Rayan Cherki, who scored a brace in his first Premier League start of the season, could also start on the right wing, while Fernandez is expected to play in an attacking but more central role.
Ndiaye could start on the bench, as Antoine Semenyo is expected to start following the good chemistry he has shown with Erling Haaland, particularly when opening the scoring against Crystal Palace.
Update, 8:50 a.m. ET: Fernandez starts on the bench. Maresca decided to start Anderson, O’Reilly and Cherki. There is no concerning reason behind this decision, simply a technical decision to manage his adaptation.
Evidently, most of the attention will be on Fernandez, as his record-breaking signing was not made in vain. During the 2025-26 season, the Argentine appeared in 61 matches for Chelsea across all competitions, including the FIFA Club World Cup. He scored 16 goals and provided 10 assists for a total of 26 goal contributions.
Just a few days ago, when The Times journalists Paul Hirst and Peter Rutzler reported that an agreement had been reached between City and Chelsea for Fernandez, it was indicated that the player was desperate to move to the Manchester club to reunite with his former coach, Maresca.
Therefore, the Italian manager secured a key midfield addition for the upcoming season at the Citizens. Not only because the two already know each other and building chemistry will be much easier, but also because, frankly, the Argentine would be a great signing for any team given his technical ability and intelligence on the field.
Pairing him with other players such as Elliot Anderson, Bouaddi, Cherki or Phil Foden, it is impossible for the club’s fans not to get excited about what could come later this season.
Why Is Enzo Fernandez Not Starting Today for Manchester City vs. Coventry City?