Enzo Maresca believes Manchester City's upcoming Premier League clash with Sunderland "will be the toughest game since the start of the season".

City will look to maintain their perfect start to the league season when they host the Black Cats on Saturday, with only Arsenal able to match their 100% record after four games.

Despite losing Phil Foden to a first-half red card, City won 1-0 against Manchester United on matchday four. It was their 24th Premier League win despite receiving a red card, with only Arsenal (38) and United (25) winning more such games.

City have only started a top-flight season with five wins on the bounce in 1912-13 (five), 2015-16 (five), 2016-17 (six) and 2023-24 (six).

Although they have bounced back well since losing to Arsenal in last month's Community Shield, Maresca anticipates a strong test for his City side against Sunderland.

"I know how strong they are, and I have the feeling that on Sunday we need a top performance to beat them, and we need to be 100% to win the game," said Maresca.

"My feeling is, after watching them, is that on Sunday it will be the toughest game since the start of the season.

"If you watch them, you are not surprised [at how well they have done], because you will realise how good they are, how good they are on the ball, off the ball, how aggressive they are, the amount of duels that they win every game."

Sunderland are 14th in the Premier League after losing to Arsenal last time out, but they are beaming with confidence after defeating AZ in the Europa League.

It marked their first European match in 53 years, and Enzo Le Fee scored the winner at the Stadium of Light.

Regis Le Bris acknowledged he must use as many players as possible throughout the season to ensure fitness levels remain high.

"We made four changes for our fixture against AZ and we have the option to make three, four or five changes to start with against Manchester City," said the Sunderland boss.

"We will also need to call on some substitutes throughout the game as well to finish things off. It is the reality of the level we're at now."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester City – Erling Haaland

Sunderland remain the only team that Haaland has not scored against in the Premier League, having three shots with an expected goals (xG) total of 0.75 without finding the net in two games against the Black Cats.

The Norwegian has scored in eight of his last nine appearances, netting nine goals.

Sunderland – Enzo Le Fee

Le Fee has six goals, six assists and has taken six penalties in the Premier League for Sunderland.

He is one of only two players to have scored more than once in the competition and have the same totals for goals, assists and penalties, along with Gary McSheffrey (three each).

MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN

City are unbeaten in all 14 of their Premier League home games against Sunderland (W12 D2). Their last home league defeat against the Black Cats was in the second tier in January 1998 (0-1).

City have also lost just two of their last 30 Premier League matches (W20 D8), with their 68 points the joint most of any side since the start of that run on November 29 last year, level with Arsenal.

Maresca at City is looking to become the sixth manager to win his first five Premier League games in charge of a club, after Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea (six), Pep Guardiola at City (six), Craig Shakespeare at Leicester City (five), Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea (five) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at United (six).

Sunderland are winless in nine Premier League games against City (D2 L7) since a 1-0 home win in November 2013 under Gus Poyet.

The Black Cats have not won any of their last 17 Premier League games against teams starting the day in the top two (D4 L13), since a 2-1 win at Chelsea in April 2014.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Manchester City – 72%

Draw – 16.3%

Sunderland – 11.7%