Enzo Maresca has warned City they must stop conceding avoidable goals despite Wednesday’s 3-2 Champions League victory over RB Leipzig.
City twice surrendered the lead in Germany before Erling Haaland scored a 78th-minute winner, ending a run of two successive Premier League defeats. Maresca welcomed the result but believes his side still have considerable room for improvement, particularly defensively.
Maresca confident City will improve
Speaking to Manchester City’s official website, Maresca described Leipzig’s two goals as mistakes his players should have prevented.
“Both [Leipzig] goals are quite silly goals that we can avoid,” he said.
Ridle Baku beat Gianluigi Donnarumma at his near post to score Leipzig’s first equaliser, before Antonio Nusa struck three minutes after Enzo Fernández had restored City’s advantage. Maresca was also asked whether his team could perform better, responding: “Absolutely, no doubt.”
The Italian pointed out that he has been working with the squad for only four months and believes greater familiarity between the players and coaching staff will bring improvements. City have continued to create chances, but Maresca wants his side to become more reliable without the ball. He acknowledged that Leipzig’s pace and attacking movement had caused problems throughout the evening.
The victory leaves City seventh in the Champions League league-phase standings with nine points from four matches. Attention now turns to Saturday’s Premier League trip to Nottingham Forest, where Maresca will be looking for a more controlled performance after a difficult run of domestic results.
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