Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca says criticism surrounding the club has brought its supporters, players and staff closer together as they prepare to host Ipswich in a Premier League Matchday 7 fixture.
Maresca also dismissed suggestions that Enzo deliberately pushed the referee during Wednesday’s match, describing the incident as an accidental collision.
Manchester City have had only 48 hours to prepare for the visit of Ipswich, while their opponents have had a full week to work on their tactics and team selection.
Maresca knows the challenge well from his time at Chelsea, when he faced Ipswich twice, losing away and drawing 1-1 at home.
“They are a difficult opponent to face,” he said. “They can focus on preparing all week, adjusting their lineup and creating surprises. We, on the other hand, only have 48 hours since our last match, so this will be very tough.
“But it is also an opportunity for us. If we win, we can extend our lead to six points.”
The manager also welcomed the inflatable banana seen during the match at Anfield, saying he hoped to see more of them in the stadium against Ipswich.
“I didn’t know the story behind the banana before, but it was great,” Maresca said. “I hope to see many bananas in the stadium tomorrow. It creates a fantastic atmosphere for the fans and everyone in the stadium.”
Maresca added that his four children had already asked him to bring one home, and would be attending the game.
Guardiola visit
Pep Guardiola attended the match against Paris and spoke to Maresca afterwards, although he did not meet the players.
“We talked about the match, about the first half and the second half,” Maresca said. “He was happy to be at the stadium and had positive comments about what he saw.
“As I said before the match, it’s great for the fans to see him here; this will always be his home.”
Maresca said he had not sought advice from people outside the club following the verdict that has prompted widespread discussion over the past two weeks.
“I fully trust the club and don’t need outsiders to help me understand the situation,” he said. “I’ve spoken with club management several times, and they’ve explained everything clearly to me.
“I understand the situation perfectly, and I have 100% faith in the club and those running it, which is why I chose to join.”
He said the team’s response should be focused on results rather than external distractions.
“We need to create our own sound,” he said. “Our sound is winning at Anfield and winning tomorrow’s match. We can’t control other distractions.”
Maresca referred to a comment by Ruben Dias that “many people don’t like to see Manchester City win, but we love to win”, saying it reflected the mood around the club.
“In my opinion, after these events, the fans, the club and the team have indeed become more united,” he added.
On Enzo’s collision with the referee, Maresca said: “He had no intention of pushing the referee; it was just an accidental collision, and it was actually quite amusing.”
He also defended Enzo’s character, saying the public perception of him could be very different from the person he knew.
“He is a very good person, kind-hearted, polite and very professional,” Maresca said. “He comes from a good family, and I know his parents, wife and children well. There’s no doubt about that.”
