Manchester City

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Enzo Maresca's arrival at Manchester City began with the inevitable comparisons of when David Moyes replaced Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013.

The 46-year-old referenced Ferguson and Arsene Wenger in his unveiling news conference, saying clubs "struggled a little bit" after the departures of long-serving managers.

It's almost easy to forget City started this season with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Arsenal in the Community Shield, but the side have bounced back in style with five straight victories, including the Champions League win at Porto.

While the Old Trafford job appeared to be too much for Moyes to handle, lasting only 10 months before being sacked, Maresca seems to be embracing the "challenge" and "privilege" of succeeding Guardiola.

Maresca acknowledged to reporters in pre-season that City's former boss would be referenced on a regular basis, but batted that particular narrative away by asserting "it doesn't put pressure on me".

The former Chelsea and Leicester City manager needed to hit the ground running at Etihad Stadium in order to avoid questions about whether he was the right man for the job having been the only person City targeted to take over.

City made major changes in the squad during the summer and the new-look side begin their Carabao Cup defence against Norwich at the Etihad on Thursday (19:30 BST), followed by hosting Sunderland in the Premier League three days later.

Maresca dispatched rivals United on their own turf, and victory in the next two games will ensure a near-perfect start to his tenure in one of football's toughest jobs.

Read more about Maresca here

The Manchester derby win is a "big feather in Enzo Maresca's cap", says former Premier League striker Chris Sutton.

Manchester City beat Manchester United 1-0 on Sunday, despite going down to 10 men midway through the first half, and the victory has helped prove Maresca's tactical credentials.

"The most damning thing for United was that you always felt City had more control and were carrying more of a threat," Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club.

"Iliman Ndiaye coming on for Rayan Cherki when Cherki went out on the right - I wouldn't say it was a masterstroke but it was an excellent decision because Cherki is a different type of player. Ndiaye is more of a runner, can get them up the pitch and has that threat.

"There was no doubt Manchester City supporters worried about the change from Pep [Guardiola] to Maresca but I think their recruitment has been pretty smart and pretty shrewd and I thought it was a masterclass from them.

"I'm not saying it suited them going down to 10 men, but to play as they did and look the far superior team is a big feather in Maresca's cap."

Host Mark Chapman also suggested Maresca appears more relaxed than he did during his time in charge at Chelsea, and The Observer's Rory Smith believes the Italian must "feel at home".

Smith said: "Maresca lost his job at Chelsea because he told them he'd been speaking to City, which means eight, nine months ago, City knew they wanted him to replace Guardiola. That is a pretty big vote of confidence.

"It means he's probably in a place where he feels wanted and valued and it's a place he knows."

Listen to the full episode of Monday Night Club on BBC Sounds

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

In the Manchester derby there were two huge calls and, again, VAR somehow managed to get both wrong. Well, the first was at the very least morally wrong as opposed to totally wrong by the letter of the law.

Bruno Fernandes sneakily kicked Phil Foden while the Manchester City man was defenceless on the ground. That should have been a clear yellow card or maybe a red, but the officials back at Stockley Park either ignored it or didn't see it. Out of anger, Foden actioned his knee towards Fernandes' stomach, without catching him in any meaningful way.

The referee saw this as violent conduct after the Manchester United player writhed around in what looked suspiciously like feigned agony. This was precisely the sort of behaviour the new rules are trying to stop. Foden had the common decency not to do this when he was kicked but paid the price for his honesty.

A booking for both would have sufficed, but Fernandes was exonerated while Foden exited. Foden was foolish but not violent and the VAR should have helped the referee.

Fortunately, the football gods were watching over the officials again and presented City with Erling Haaland's winning goal to recalibrate the moral imbalance, but once again VAR managed to get it wrong, as has now been admitted.

Spotting that Haaland was onside was brilliant officiating. I thought he was well offside even after three or four viewings, so well done on that call, lads.

Unfortunately, they managed to miss the glaringly obvious offside in the same move when Enzo Fernandez clearly put Lisandro Martinez off his defending duties. This was a stunning oversight in such a huge moment. No player or former player would fail to see that this was a clear infringement.

For those of us who habitually defend VAR, it was a dark weekend even if they do still get many more right over a season than they get wrong.

As for fairness, happily it won through in the end. United fans may grumble, but going down to 10 men galvanised City.

Bruno's theatricals didn't win the game, they contributed to them losing the derby.

Pat Nevin writes weekly in the Football Extra newsletter. If you're outside the UK and would like to receive it, sign up here.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City captain Ruben Dias say Phil Foden needed to be "more controlled and composed" when provoked by Bruno Fernandes in Sunday's Manchester derby.

Foden was sent off for violent conduct after kicking out at Fernandes on the floor after being fouled and kicked himself by the Manchester United skipper.

"In the moment I felt it was a bit harsh because my perception was Bruno kicks Phil and then he has a rushed reaction and maybe kicks him back," Dias said.

"I'm not saying Phil didn't do wrong - obviously he needs to be more controlled and composed in that moment.

"I believe he, more than anyone, is frustrated with what happened. That is why it was my biggest joy to come back in and be able to celebrate for him because I know for sure he was feeling responsible for how much more difficult the game became."

Despite the red card, City showed spirit, dominated the game and won through Erling Haaland's controversial second-half goal.

"I have won many of these derbies but this one goes straight to the top," Dias added.

"It is a very special day. More than the win, it was the belief we held on to straight after the red card.

"It was a moment when you feel the strategy goes away and the game will change completely. But, every single second after that, you start to build belief that you can pull it off because of how everyone stays together and because of how ineffective we were making them offensively.

"It says a lot about the character that we have."

Listen to the full chat below or on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Man City fan Steven McInerney says his side "fought for each other" and were "absolute warriors" in their 1-0 derby win over Manchester United on Sunday.

Enzo Maresca's side have taken maximum points from their first four games of the Premier League season, but none will taste sweeter than beating their bitter rivals on their own turf while down to 10 men.

"Every player on that pitch today - absolute warriors," McInerney said. "This team could have crumbled but no, they showed immense spirit. They all fought for each other. Elliot Anderson, Enzo Fernandez in that midfield, absolute warriors, the pair of them.

Anderson was awarded Player of the Match for his performance in his first Manchester derby.

Speaking after the match, he touched on his side's ability to dig out a result with their backs against the wall after Phil Foden's 23rd-minute dismissal for violent conduct.

"There is no doubt we have all the quality, but we are showing real mentality in the first four games, especially in this one," the £116m summer signing said.

"Not giving up, fighting for every tackle, every duel and waiting for our chance - and obviously Erling [Haaland] scores."

City fan McInerney added: "Five wins out of five for Maresca's City side. They've shown real character and an intense desire to run for each other."

What do you make of City's mentality in the early stages of Maresca's tenure? Have they shown an ability to dig in when the odds against their favour and is this something you're impressed by?

Get in touch with your views here

Watch Steve's full reaction to the Manchester derby here

Image source, Getty Images

If you go to Old Trafford in a derby, go down to 10 men in the first 25 minutes and still come away with a 1-0 victory, it tells you a lot about your players.

Sunday's result was a statement win for Manchester City's new manager Enzo Maresca, who got his tactics spot on, but his team's performance will have showed him exactly what they are about.

I am talking about the mentality, discipline, organisation and energy you need in order to get a result when things go wrong for you like that in a game.

They were smart too, and that experience and ability not to panic goes a long way in football in situations like the one City faced following Phil Foden's early red card.

City are used to always having most of the ball but they were fine without it against Manchester United. That is down to leadership and communication - not just from the manager, but from the players on the field.

Maresca deserves plenty of credit for his decisions too, but he must be thinking he is a lucky man for having the group of players he does, because their intelligence and resilience was key.

When it was 11 v 11, I thought United were the better team.

They pinned City back and were really bright going forward. Marcus Rashford, especially, was really positive and it felt like Michael Carrick's side were in the ascendancy.

The sending-off, which was the right decision by the way, kind of stopped United's momentum a little bit and also basically told City how they were going to have to play - they were going to have to defend for most of the game.

It is not what they are used to, but when you've got really experienced international players who are comfortable and calm, they don't really mind having to adapt.

They actually seemed to enjoy the challenge, and straight away they were well-organised and very disciplined.

United did not really create too much in the second part of the first half, other than a Rashford free-kick that hit the post, but I was thinking they would make a few tweaks at half-time and come out and really go after City. That didn't happen though.

Read more from Murphy here

Jess Anderson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

The disputed Erling Haaland goal came after a first half laced with controversy, with Phil Foden shown a straight red for kicking out at midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Manchester City midfielder Foden picked up the ball wide on the right-hand side in his own half and was closed down by Fernandes, who tripped him.

Foden then kicked out at the body of the Manchester United captain while on the ground and was shown a straight red card by the referee.

Replays showed that Fernandes kicked Foden in the back first, before the City man retaliated.

The incident was checked by the VAR, who confirmed the on-field decision; Fernandes was not shown a card.

Pundits were divided on whether Foden should have seen red and whether Fernandes was the man at fault.

Former United forward Wayne Rooney did not believe it was a red, saying "it was more of a flick or a gesture, than a kick out".

Ex-United defender Gary Neville said he was "surprised" Fernandes did not receive a booking for his role while former Old Trafford midfielder Roy Keane said the fault lay with the Portuguese.

"Foden gets up and reacts obviously, so he's sent off," he said. "Fernandes catches him and gives him a little kick. I guess it's classed as violent. But Fernandes is the one who is violent here - I don't think Foden should have a red card."

Dale Johnson, BBC Sport football issues correspondent, said: "The referee and VAR would have to deem it violent conduct rather than just petulance from Fernandes.

"The guidance changed some years ago to factor that in, so David Beckham's kick on Diego Simeone in the 1998 World Cup would not result in a sending off today.

"It looked to me like there was little to no contact from Fernandes, and if there was it was limited force and wasn't followed through.

"So Bruno's act would be seen as a yellow card offence, which the VAR obviously can't get involved in."

Watch ex-Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy and Rooney debate the sending off on Match of the Day below...

Watch Sunday's episode of Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City are showing "real mentality" and "not giving up" in matches this season, says midfielder Elliot Anderson.

The England international has settled in seamlessly since joining from Nottingham Forest this summer, being named man of the match in Sunday's derby victory at rivals Manchester United.

City earned an impressive victory courtesy of Erling Haaland's controversial goal, despite playing almost 70 minutes with 10 men following Phil Foden's dismissal for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes.

The result means City have started the campaign in impressive fashion under Enzo Maresca, collecting four straight Premier League wins to sit second in the table, behind champions Arsenal on goal difference.

Anderson said: "There is no doubt we have all the quality, but we are showing real mentality in the first four games, especially in this one.

"Not giving up, fighting for every tackle, every duel and waiting for our chance - and obviously Erling scores.

"I just gave everything for the team in the duels and playing through the lines. I thought I had done quite well in just staying calm in possession with the team and helping everyone."

Anderson was part of City's expensive midfield rebuild this summer and started alongside Enzo Fernandez.

"He's very good," said Anderson. "He shows real quality on the ball and knowing you have got someone alongside you who has got your back is a massive help. He is top."

Asked if Fernandez was horrible to play against but one that team-mates love to play alongside, Anderson replied: "Yeah, he is.

"I found that obviously before I was playing with him, but he is a brilliant guy and he a real top player."

Hit play below to hear more from Anderson or listen on BBC Sounds here

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Manchester United and Manchester City.

Here are some of your comments:

Man Utd fans

Adrian: I just think United lack some real talent. It feels like we are getting left behind. This indifferent performance seems to be the norm nowadays. I think United need a summit at the very least to discuss the club in totality. I think Sir Alex Ferguson would be ideal to head up it up. City are now where United should be.

Ruso: Time's up for Carrick. At this rate United will not even finish in the top 10. Must stop playing Cunha as a striker. Sesko provides much more danger in the box than Cunha.

Mark: Not sure what is going on at United - proven striker who does not start games and an attacking left-sided player at left-back. While I think Carrick can turn things around, he needs to push to get proper cover at left-back if Amass is not ready and trust his only out-and-out striker to start. The only bright sparks seem to come from Lammens, Mainoo and Mbeumo. The less said about the never-ending list of mistakes by VAR, the better. VAR is not fit for purpose, in my opinion.

Simon: The awful decision to allow the goal to stand aside, this latest poor performance and loss showed the biggest United flaw - attitude. As soon as the red card was issued, I knew the game was going to be tougher. We didn't press and we didn't force mistakes. We had no hunger, no desire to show up our biggest rivals and no-one on the bench capable of changing the game. What has Manchester United come to when winning against Sabah is the highlight of the week?

Man City fans

David: A statement win for us. The battling spirit, control and resilience of the 10 who stayed on the pitch was awesome, but it was telling that we improved after Foden went off. Ridiculous reaction to the Fernandes kick. I won't be upset to see him go if the club decides he's had his chance. The contrast between his behaviour and the rest of the team was stark. That said, the officiating of that game was a joke - how Fernandes stayed on the pitch is beyond me and the goal was very marginal. But, a great step forward - in Enzo we trust!

Doug: City are still learning off each other and the new system, but they rode their luck and fought well. Probably a double red. Red for Fernandes for the bad tackle and kick, then Foden shouldn't retaliate. Pleased with the resilience and a team-bonding win.

Brian: What a result and how good does this feel for the team and fans? Derby matches are always competitive and this lived up to all expectations. City proved that this squad can only get better with each game. They have passion, belief, skill and determination. It was not easy and everyone played their part when going down to 10 men. I watched this in Majorca and it felt great to sing Blue Moon on a fabulous Sunday evening. City are very much back in business.

Sajid: If this was a Guardiola team then United would have won it. This Maresca team is more robust in defence and will not concede many goals. Gone are the days of fully fledged attacking and possession domination by City.

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The curiosity about this incident is that the goal was initially disallowed for the wrong reason. Erling Haaland was flagged offside when he shouldn't have been.

But as it turned out, the goal should have been ruled out because Enzo Fernandez was offside.

There is one key part of the offside law which applies to Fernandez here. A player is offside if they are:

"Clearly attempting to play a ball which is close when this action impacts on an opponent."

Both parts of that clause must be met. It is possible for a player in an offside position to attempt to play a ball and not commit an offence – there must be impact on an opponent too.

As the ball came in, Fernandez threw himself to try to head it, with Lisandro Martinez directly behind him.

Video assistant referee Matt Donohue should ask himself if Fernandez's action would have influenced Martinez.

In other words: If Fernandez had not jumped for the attempted header, would Martinez have made a different decision over playing the ball?

If the ball had been out of reach for Fernandez, or for Martinez, then there is an argument to give the goal.

And also: There would have been no offside had Fernandez made no attempt to play the ball.

But he did. And as it went just a yard in front of Martinez too, it is very difficult to argue Fernandez did not commit an offside offence.

There is also an argument that the actions of Fernandez influence the positioning of goalkeeper Senne Lammens.

However, the goal was originally ruled out for offside against Haaland - which was incorrect. So that decision had to be overturned.

And then, the VAR should have sent referee Michael Oliver to the monitor for the subjective offence by Fernandez.

It would have created the odd situation where a disallowed goal was reviewed to remain ruled out - but this is what should have happened.

It was a clear offside offence by Fernandez and will go down as a VAR mistake.

Was the VAR too concerned with a possible touch by Fernandez?

If so, did the VAR forget that Fernandez was offside, and not consider the subjective offence? It seems to be the most logical explanation.

A similar thing happened in a game between Arsenal and Brentford in February 2023 when a goal by an offside Christian Norgaard was not disallowed.

Read more on the incident here

Match of the Day pundits Wayne Rooney and Danny Murphy find it "baffling" that Erling Haaland's winning goal in the Manchester derby was not ruled out by VAR, but think Phil Foden's red card was the correct decision.

Read more: Refereeing body admits judgement error over Haaland derby winner