"Our noise is to win games" | Enzo Maresca reacts to Man City's 3-0 win at Anfield
Man City boss on three-goal win, Anfield noise and off-field turmoil
This is the Man City manager's post-match press conference after a three-goal away win. He reviews a poor first half on the ball, an improved second half after adjustments, and discusses the hostile Anfield atmosphere and the club's off-field situation, stressing that his side must handle the noise and focus on winning; he is cautious about whether the turmoil will create togetherness.
- The first half was not good enough on the ball, but the second half was much better after the interval adjustments — He felt the team was good off the ball but failed to do the right things in buildup as planned, then improved after changing something at half-time
- The team must learn to handle hostile away noise and make their own noise by winning games — He expects the noise to follow City in away games because of the known situation; in the end only their own fans' noise and the win mattered
- The off-field situation could bring the team and fans closer, but he cannot be sure — He said it might recreate the siege mentality seen after the 2023 charges, but also might not; he does not know the answer and can only focus on winning
- The off-field situation is not a good feeling for the fans, but now is not the time to draw conclusions — The club has spent 10 to 15 years winning titles and doing the right things; a process is still ongoing and they must see how it ends
- All three goals were outstanding, Jeremy and Ryan were very good, but Jeremy must be protected — Jeremy is important and back from injury, Ryan also pleased him, and the whole team performed very well
- The long-possession goal was a good one, and having an extra player made it easier to keep the ball — City had the ball for nearly two minutes before the goal and every City player touched it in the buildup; the extra man helped them retain possession
- He does not stress about things outside his control and focuses on the game plan and daily training — He said he cannot control the outside world, so there is no point stressing; the rest is not in his hands
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Transcript
How do you feel about your players and what they've delivered today in really difficult circumstances? >> Yeah. Yeah. Very very difficult circumstance, very difficult environment. But uh again I think we struggle a little bit first half. I think we were quite good off the ball but not good enough on the ball and half time we changed something, we adjust something and I think second half we were we were much better and yeah happy. >> What did you adjust? I think in the buildup we were not uh doing the right things in the way we planned the game for many reason but then second half again I think we were we were much better. How did you find the well the atmosphere in the early part of the match actually not just the match arriving your team obviously booed and they were when they went out for the warm-up they were booed when they came out the tunnel at the start and the atmosphere you said I think in the week it would be hot and and it was what did you make of that and the way your team gradually got through it but again I think uh we need to learn how to deal with the noise because the noise will be with us probably in all the away game will be noise for the situation that we know. But at the same time, we need to deal with that and also we need to make our noise and our noise is to win games like today because uh the good feeling is that uh at the end of the game was just uh our fans and our noise and not uh more different noise. >> Can you see that it's it's different? Obviously what I'm getting at is when Man City come here it's always loud. It's always a hostile atmosphere, but could you sense because of the off-field situation that today was different? It was kind of >> against city in a way it might not have been in the past. >> Oh, I don't know exactly. I've been near with the city just once in the tribal season, but uh again uh also I think uh was nice to play this kind of game for the noise, for the environment, but again uh we need to learn how to deal with that. But also we need to try to do to make our noise that is try to win the games like today. >> Yeah. And you mentioned 2023 the other day as well and that was obviously when the charges were first brought by the Premier League and the response by the club then on the pitch was outstanding with the siege mentality. Do you think something similar as difficult as the situation is could happen now? It could bring you closer. It could make you stronger. >> Uh probably yes. Probably no to be honest but I don't know. I don't know. I don't know the answer for sure. It's uh something that uh can create togetherness with the fans. Uh I said during the week, you know, bring the patient, bring the voice that we need that and hopefully at the end we can we can celebrate the win and we won and this is uh this is the only thing that we can we can focus. >> I mean you understandably looked absolutely delighted when you went to the fans at the end. Did it mean a lot to do that for them? >> Absolutely. Absolutely. uh for many many reason again when you you know after 10 15 years where the organization is winning title do the right things in terms of you know winning title and then this happen I think it's not good good feeling for them but again there is a process ongoing we see how to finish this is not the moment >> how good were your goals today >> all three of them outstanding >> yeah outstanding I think Jeremy was very good uh we need to take care of him because we know how important he is But also we know that he's back from injury and again happy with the with Ryan. But I think the performance from all the team was very good. >> Yeah. Did preference the second goal or or actually maybe even the third goal. I think every City player in the buildup touched the ball. Obviously great finish from Cherokee. Um but you had the ball for nearly 2 minutes before that. >> Yeah, it was good one. Was good one. I think also with one more player uh was a bit more easy in terms of keep the ball >> but uh again very happy with the three points. Um, and lastly, how tough a week or couple of weeks has it been? I know you've been asked that a lot. And how have you remained so calm? >> Just uh I cannot control things outside of world. So why stress? I try to stress you know in terms of game plan day by day training session but then the rest uh it's it's I don't know it's not in my hands. >> Well done. Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. them.