Enzo Maresca was pleased with the way City were made to fight for Saturday’s narrow victory over Coventry.
Erling Haaland’s first-half goal proved enough for a 1-0 win at the Etihad, making it three Premier League victories from three for Maresca’s side.
Coventry threatened late on, and Gianluigi Donnarumma was called upon to protect the lead, but Maresca felt there was plenty to take from a game City were unable to kill off.
On the 1-0 win…
“To be honest, I was really pleased with the win,” Maresca said. “The main reason why is nine times in this kind of game, you finish conceding.
“First half was 1-0 but we could have scored one or two more. We kept them alive.
“With 2-0 it’s a different game.
“The way we suffer together at the end was a good one. Defending throw-ins, set pieces.
“Not all the wins are going to be nice, we need this kind of win in every way.”
Maresca also described the match as one in which City had to come through some “ugly moments”, with Coventry making the closing stages uncomfortable.
For a side still settling after another summer of major change, he appeared just as pleased by the way his players protected a one-goal lead as he was by some of their football earlier in the afternoon.
On Enzo Fernandez…
Fernández had initially been named among the substitutes following his Deadline Day move from Chelsea.
That changed when Nico O’Reilly felt a problem during the warm-up, handing the £125million signing an unexpected City debut.
“The reason Enzo wasn’t supposed to start was he arrived two days ago,” Maresca explained.
“I know how frustrating it’s been for him the last three weeks. He was going to get minutes, but in the end it was from the start, and I think he was quite good.”
Fernández was involved in the move for Haaland’s winner and produced an assured first appearance despite having had very little time with his new team-mates.
Maresca later added: “It’s easy when you already spend time together because they know exactly what you want.
“He’s going to help us win games.”
On Iliman Ndiaye…
There was also a City debut for Iliman Ndiaye following his Deadline Day move from Everton.
Unlike Fernández, Ndiaye had been named in the starting XI from the outset and was given his first taste of Maresca’s system.
The Senegal international later admitted he had enjoyed his first experience in City colours and was simply pleased to begin with a victory.
With only a handful of training sessions behind him, there will clearly be more to come as he becomes accustomed to a very different way of playing.
On Nico O’Reilly…
O’Reilly’s withdrawal shortly before kick-off was an unwelcome late complication, although Maresca offered a reassuring update afterwards.
“Nico felt something in his back,” he said.
“It doesn’t look serious but he wasn’t able to play.”
That will be encouraging for City, particularly given the midfielder’s growing importance to Maresca’s side.
On Elliot Anderson…
Maresca also had plenty of praise for Elliot Anderson after another composed midfield performance.
“Really impressed,” he said.
“Not just today, he was good against Palace and he was also very good against Bournemouth.
“The best thing about Elliot is the day by day, he’s asking how he can learn and he wants to be better. On the ball, off the ball, different kinds of things.”
Anderson has made an immediate impression since arriving at City and those comments suggest Maresca is every bit as impressed by his attitude on the training ground as he is by what supporters are seeing on matchdays.
It was not City’s most fluent performance of the opening weeks, but perhaps that was exactly why Maresca enjoyed it.
Three games, three wins and, this time, a reminder that not every victory has to be comfortable.
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