Maresca Weighs Bouaddi Midfield Role for City at Liverpool

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca is considering a more defensively balanced midfield for the Premier League meeting with Liverpool at Anfield on October 11, 2026. The decision centers on whether Ayyoub Bouaddi should join Elliot Anderson and Enzo Fernandez or whether Rayan Cherki should retain his advanced role to preserve City's attacking creativity.

City enter the fixture after winning their opening five league matches, according to ReadManCity.com. Maresca must also account for Phil Foden's suspension and fitness concerns involving Antoine Semenyo and Nico O'Reilly following the international break.

The midfield configuration could affect both City's defensive coverage and the positioning of its creative players. Bouaddi has not started alongside Anderson and Fernandez, making the potential combination an alternative to the structure City have used during their early-season run, according to SuaraGarut.id.

Under one option, Bouaddi would operate as a holding midfielder, Anderson would provide additional support in the center, and Fernandez would move into the number ten position. This arrangement would offer Maresca another way to protect the space in front of City's defense while retaining Fernandez's influence in attack.

Cherki remains a contender because of his performances for Manchester City and France, according to SuaraGarut.id. Maresca could also deploy the playmaker on the right wing, allowing Bouaddi, Anderson and Fernandez to occupy central midfield while keeping Cherki in the starting lineup.

Alternatively, Cherki could play behind Erling Haaland, with Fernandez and Anderson positioned deeper. ReadManCity.com reported that this was the expected configuration in its preview, although the final selection remained undecided.

Haaland is available and is expected to lead City's attack. ReadManCity.com reported that the striker had scored five goals in City's opening five Premier League matches, giving Maresca an established attacking option despite the uncertainty surrounding other positions.

The wide positions present another selection challenge. Semenyo trained on Thursday after withdrawing from Ghana duty, but Maresca did not specifically confirm his availability during his press conference, according to ReadManCity.com.

Jeremy Doku and Iliman Ndiaye are also competing for places on the flanks. Doku offers direct attacking ability in one-on-one situations, while Ndiaye provides greater defensive support when City do not have possession, according to ReadManCity.com.

SuaraGarut.id reported that Doku had played only 15 minutes during the season covered by its report and could be considered for a starting role on the left. Semenyo could occupy the opposite flank if available, while moving Cherki wide would allow Maresca to retain the proposed three-man midfield.

At left-back, O'Reilly's fitness will influence the decision after he withdrew from the England squad during the international break. Josko Gvardiol offers an alternative in that position and could allow Ruben Dias and Marc Guehi to continue together in central defense, according to ReadManCity.com.

Gvardiol's experience could prove important if O'Reilly has not recovered sufficiently, while O'Reilly offers a more attacking option from left-back. Maresca must assess the available personnel before deciding how to distribute defensive responsibilities across the back line and midfield.

Liverpool also face personnel concerns ahead of the match. Reuters reported that Alexander Isak and Cody Gakpo had been ruled out after sustaining injuries while on international duty, adding to the selection considerations surrounding the Anfield fixture.