The Italian has been pushing all the right buttons in perfect Man City start, with the team showing a strong performance in the competition. Maresca rested key players, gave valuable minutes to others and booked a place in the next round, which could not have gone any better.
The win has added to the feeling that things are going well for Maresca, who looks like a man who knows exactly what he's doing. He admitted in his pre-match news conference that it was "normal that fans have doubts" when a new man comes in to replace a legendary head coach, but the results are speaking for themselves.
Maresca got his team selection right, mixing fringe players in need of a game with exciting academy prospects. Floyd Samba started up front and scored two goals in less than an hour on his debut, while Rayan Cherki and Allan also found the back of the net. The win has been a night for the squad players, and as Maresca pointed out, they could all be important when injuries and suspensions begin to pile up in January, February and March.
The next step for Manchester City will be a Premier League match against Sunderland on Sunday, where Marc Guéhi and Rúben Dias are likely to return to the starting lineup.