Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has praised his players for overcoming a hostile atmosphere at Anfield – suggesting that the club’s ongoing problems off the pitch could help strengthen the relationship between the team and supporters.
City secured an important Premier League win over Liverpool despite problems in the first half, and Maresca admitted that his team initially struggled to handle the intensity of the occasion.
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In an interview with Sky Sports after the game, Maresca was asked if City’s ongoing problems off the pitch could bring the players and supporters closer together.
“Probably yes, probably not. I don’t know,” said the city manager.
“It can create unity with the fans. I said during the week: bring the passion, bring the noise – and hopefully we can celebrate a victory. This is the only thing we can focus on.
“After 10-15 years where the organization wins titles, they do the right things when it comes to winning titles, and then this happens – it’s not a good feeling for them.
“There is a process going on. This is not the moment.
“I can’t control things outside of football, so why stress?” he said.
“I’m stressing about the game plan, day by day with training sessions – but the rest is not in my hands.
Maresca asks City players to embrace hostile atmospheres
Maresca admitted that Manchester City had struggled to establish themselves in the first half against Liverpool, especially when they were without the ball.
“Very difficult circumstances, difficult environment,” he said.
“We struggled in the first half. We were on the ball, but not so much off the ball.
“In the second half we made some adjustments and we were much better. In the build-up we didn’t do the right things – in the second half we were better.
The City manager also highlighted the challenge of playing at Anfield, where Liverpool supporters created a frightening atmosphere.
However, he believes that his players need to get used to such occasions.
“We have to learn to deal with the noise, because the noise will be with us at all our away games – there will be noise,” Maresca explained.
“We have to deal with it and make our own sound. Our noise is to win games.
“The feeling at the end of the game with the fans and our noise – it’s a nice feeling and a different sound.
“It was nice to play this kind of game for the noise, for the environment. We have to make our own sound and deal with their noise.
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