Maresca Reflects on Manchester City's Gritty Victory as Progress Continues
Enzo Maresca acknowledged that Manchester City remains a “work in progress” following their dramatic last-minute win over Bournemouth at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. Despite a nerve-wracking encounter, City secured a 2-1 victory thanks to Marc Guéhi’s 85th-minute equaliser and Josko Gvardiol’s 91st-minute winner, marking a successful debut for Maresca as manager. Maresca compared the team's performance to their previous 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield, stating, “It’s normal you judge after results but I don’t see big changes.” He emphasized the need for improvement, noting, “Unfortunately, this is a work in progress and I’m looking for solutions.” He highlighted the importance of winning games to build confidence and acknowledged the physicality issues, mentioning players like Erling Haaland, Elliot Anderson, and Nico O’Reilly still in pre-season mode. Before the match, fans welcomed Maresca with a banner reading “Welcome back Enzo,” which he found emotional. He remarked, “We gave them [fans] the joy at the end,” but also pointed out missed opportunities that made the game more complicated. In a tactical shift, Maresca deployed Guéhi in an unfamiliar midfield role, believing in his potential and adaptability. On the other side, Marco Rose, in his debut as Bournemouth manager, expressed disappointment at narrowly missing a historic away win against City. He noted, “We did many good things. At the end, how the game went was quite unlucky to lose that way.” Rose acknowledged the need for better defensive strategies, particularly during crucial moments in the match.
Source: The Guardian Sport - 2026-08-23