Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has praised his players for overcoming a hostile atmosphere at Anfield and suggested the club’s ongoing off-field problems could help strengthen the relationship between the team and its supporters.
City secured an important Premier League win over Liverpool despite struggling during the first half, with Maresca admitting his side initially found it difficult to cope with the intensity of the occasion.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Maresca was asked whether City’s ongoing off-field issues could bring the players and supporters closer together.
“Probably yes, probably no. I don’t know,” the City boss said.
“It can create togetherness with the fans. I said during the week bring the passion, bring the noise and hopefully we can celebrate a win. This is the only thing we can focus on.
“After 10-15 years where the organisation is winning titles, doing the right things in terms of winning titles and then this happens it’s not a good feeling for them.
“There is a process ongoing, this is not the moment.
“I can not control things outside football so why stress?” he said.
“I stress about gameplan, day by day training sessions but the rest it’s not in my hands.”
Maresca tells City players to embrace hostile atmospheres
Maresca admitted Manchester City had struggled to impose themselves during the first half against Liverpool, particularly when they were out of possession.
“Very difficult circumstances, difficult environment,” he said.
“We struggled first half, we were on the ball but not so much off the ball.
“Second half we made some adjustments and we were much better. In the build-up we were not doing the right things, second half we were better.”
The City manager also highlighted the challenge of playing at Anfield, where Liverpool’s supporters created an intimidating atmosphere.
However, he believes his players must become accustomed to such occasions.
“We need to learn how to deal with the noise because the noise will be with us at all of our away games – there will be noise,” Maresca explained.
“We need to deal with that and make our noise. Our noise is to win games.
“The feeling at the end of the game with our fans and our noise, that’s a nice feeling and a different noise.”
“It was nice to play this kind of game for the noise, the environment. We need to make our noise and deal with their noise.”
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