Maresca: Ipswich game the perfect chance for Man City to bounce back

Enzo Maresca believes Saturday's home game against Ipswich Town presents Manchester City with the ideal opportunity to respond to their 4-2 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Maresca watched on as his City team were outclassed by the European champions, with three goals in the opening 32 minutes giving them too great a mountain to climb.

City conceded three goals in the first half of a home game for the first time since November 2015 against Liverpool in the Premier League, but they did respond after the break.

Erling Haaland’s second-half double came either side of Maghnes Akliouche being gifted a goal by Gianluigi Donnarumma's error, but Maresca instantly turned his attention to their upcoming Premier League assignment.

City have won all six of their Premier League games so far this season, and Maresca intends to keep that run going, telling City TV: "It's a chance for us [to bounce back].

"It's going to be tough because they have all week to recover their energy. We need to manage some players, but again, we need to continue our run and try to win on Saturday.”

Maresca did, however, believe his team deserved a lot more against Luis Enrique's side, with defender Marc Guehi saying positives could be taken from their defeat to PSG.

"First half, we needed to do a lot better, me included, for the first two goals," Guehi added. "Second half, I think, it was the complete opposite; we were a lot more aggressive.

"I think every single person knew that if we kept fighting, there was something there. It's only the start of the competition. We can learn from this for future games."

Ipswich go to the Etihad Stadium off the back of a stunning late comeback against Fulham, with Abdoul Ouattara and Dara O'Shea scoring in a 2-1 win at Portman Road.

Gary O’Neil's only previous league trip to Man City as a manager saw his Wolves side lose 5-1 in May 2024, while his only game against Maresca was also a four-goal defeat (Wolves 2-6 Chelsea in August 2024).

But Ipswich defender O'Shea wants his team to continue to build on their great start, though he knows a trip to City will be the sternest test of their campaign so far.

"We pride ourselves on having good characters in the group and being fit, strong lads. We work really, really hard, and it's important," O'Shea said.

"It's a great start. Obviously, last time in the Premier League [in 2024-25] we found it difficult and probably got on the wrong end of results, and were unlucky too at times.

"To be where we are after these games is good, but it's got to push us on even more. We can't be happy."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester City – Erling Haaland

Haaland has four goals in two Premier League games against Ipswich, while he's scored 20 goals in 21 appearances against newly promoted sides.

Of players with 10+ games against promoted teams, only Alexander Isak (one every 69 minutes) and Thierry Henry (one every 74 minutes) have a better minutes-per-goal ratio than Haaland (one every 82 minutes).

Ipswich Town – Abdul Ouattara

Ouattara scored his first Premier League goal on what was his sixth appearance last time out, becoming the first Ivorian player to net for Ipswich in the competition.

He also won possession back three times in the final third against Fulham, more than any other Ipswich player, though he may find that difficult to do against Maresca's side.

MATCH PREDICTION: MANCHESTER CITY WIN

City most recently faced Ipswich in the 2024-25 Premier League season, winning both games by an aggregate score of 10-1 (4-1 at the Etihad, 6-0 at Portman Road).

The Citizens are unbeaten in 31 Premier League games against promoted sides (W28 D3) since losing 2-1 to Leeds United in April 2021. They've kept a clean sheet in 10 of their last 12 such matches, while at the Etihad Stadium, they've won all 16 games since that defeat to Leeds, scoring 53 goals in the process.

Maresca's men have also won each of their six Premier League games so far this season – only Chelsea in 2005-06 (first nine) and Liverpool in 2019-20 (first eight) have won their first seven from the start of a campaign, and Maresca could become the first manager to ever win his opening seven in charge of a club in the competition.

Ipswich, meanwhile, have won three of their six Premier League games so far this season (L3), just one fewer than they did in the whole of 2024-25 (W4 D10 L24).

All three of Ipswich's Premier League wins this season have come via 90th minute goals – it's as many 90th minute winners as they scored in their first six campaigns in the competition combined.

However, the Tractor Boys have played 33 away games against City in all competitions and have kept just one clean sheet, with goalkeeper Paul Cooper recording a shutout in a 1-0 win at Maine Road in March 1983.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Manchester City – 73%

Draw – 15.6%

Ipswich Town – 11.4%