Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has brushed aside concerns over a scheduling disparity that leaves his side with two extra days of rest compared to city rivals Manchester United ahead of Sunday's Premier League clash.
City secured a 2-0 win away at Porto in the Champions League on Tuesday night, giving them a comfortable buildup to the derby. United, by contrast, were in Champions League action 48 hours later, thrashing Sabah 4-0, leaving Michael Carrick's squad with considerably less time to recover and prepare.
Despite the gap, Maresca insisted such imbalances are simply part of the modern football calendar, pointing out that City themselves were on the wrong end of similar scheduling last September. Back then, Arsenal had the luxury of an early kick-off against Athletic Club on a Tuesday, while City did not face Napoli until the Thursday evening slot at 20:00 BST—just two days before facing the Gunners. That congestion prompted former City manager Pep Guardiola to joke about taking his players