Manchester City Heading in the Right Direction, Insists Maresca

Just days after Manchester City overcame Brighton in their midweek Carabao Cup clash, the two sides are set to face off once again at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon, this time in the Premier League. City manager Enzo Maresca is braced for another demanding encounter.

"What Brighton do, they do very well. They attack effectively with their full-backs, wingers, and attacking midfielders. It is still very early in the season for every club, but they are doing a fantastic job. The reason they are so difficult to face is that they always play on the front foot with high aggression. They can score three, four, five goals. That is why you need the right balance. It will be a tough game, and where they will finish at the end of the season, I don't know," the City boss said.

 "It will be hard for us because they always perform strongly, regardless of the opponent. They consistently look to play aggressive, forward-thinking football. We will try to deliver our best. If there is any talk of revenge, that is more on their side than ours," Maresca continued. 

The manager also provided a positive fitness update, confirming that Antoine Semenyo is currently his only sidelined player.

The Italian tactician also addressed comments from Brighton's highly rated manager Fabian Hürzeler, who suggested after Wednesday's cup tie that City were fortunate to come away with the win. 

"We knew it was a difficult test for us. Again, that is his opinion [that City were lucky]. Every manager sees things differently. We focus on preparing for the match based on what we know they will bring," Maresca explained.

The City boss also reserved praise for Rayan Cherki: "He can certainly become a leader for this team, yes! But I think it is vital for all the players to step up in that regard, in terms of leadership, and Rayan has done exceptionally well so far!" 

Maresca addressed recent scrutiny surrounding first-choice goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. After the Italian was rested for backup Gerónimo Rulli against the Seagulls in midweek, Maresca was asked whether 'Gigio' is undroppable or if he could find himself benched in the league as well. However, the manager reiterated his unwavering trust in his compatriot.

"At the end of the day, every player makes mistakes. What matters is moving forward, understanding the reason, learning from it, and carrying on.

Right now, everyone is talking about Gigio, but remember his crucial late save away at Manchester United... All players make errors at different points in the season. Sometimes it costs you points, sometimes it doesn't because you get a bit of luck. But I see this as a completely normal process for him. Nobody in the squad is untouchable, but right now the team sheet starts with 'Gigio and ten others'," Maresca explained. 

Man City remain top of the Premier League table despite suffering their first defeat of the campaign in the previous round. Asked about the fiercely contested battle for the top six this season, Maresca noted:   

"Every season can produce one or two surprises. The level is so evenly matched right now that you can drop points against anyone. That is what makes the Premier League so great—you never know what to expect."

Having taken charge at the Etihad just four months ago following his stint at Chelsea, the manager reflected on the team's progress.

"We are heading in the right direction. After years of managerial and squad transitions, it takes time to get back to consistently challenging for silverware. The most encouraging thing is that we are competing at the highest level," Maresca remarked. 

Finally, the Italian was questioned about Jack Grealish, who is currently on loan at Everton from City. The former England international recently faced internal club discipline after missing a training session without permission.  

"It is not appropriate for me to speak about Jack at this moment because he is an Everton player and I do not have all the details. He is a good lad, a good lad with a big heart," Maresca concluded.