Maresca makes history with another City win
Erling Haaland scored in a sixth consecutive Premier League game to keep Manchester City's 100 per cent start intact with a 3-2 win over Ipswich Town.
Daizen Maeda immediately cancelled out Phil Foden's opener, but Haaland scored in either half to make Enzo Maresca the first manager in the league's history to win his first seven games in charge of a club.
City started brightly, with Ruben Dias sending a header wide before his arrowed effort needed to be punched off the line by Christian Walton.
But the hosts found the breakthrough in the 19th minute as Mateo Kovacic set Jeremy Doku away down the left, and Foden got in front of his defender to poke the Belgian's cross in.
Ipswich hit back quickly after the restart, though, with Abdoul Ouattara's throughball causing havoc for Marc Guehi, who was left on the floor by Maeda, who coolly beat Gianluigi Donnarumma at the near post while one-on-one.
Emersonn then sliced wide, but City heeded that warning in the 34th minute. Kovacic was again heavily involved, and his lovely dinked cross was met by Haaland, who beat Walton with a powerful header.
City remained in control after the break, with Haaland getting his second 69 minutes in. He latched on to Iliman Ndiaye's stunning pass and outmuscled Ouattara to fire in.
Haaland did have the ball in the back of the net a third time in the 85th minute. Enzo Fernandez, who had come on for the injured Kovacic, forced a smart stop out of Walton before Ndiaye hit the crossbar, but the Argentinian was offside when he recycled it to Haaland, and the goal was disallowed.
Ipswich set up a slightly nervy ending, with Guehi penalised for kicking Abdul Fatawu during an attempted clearance in the box. The penalty was awarded after a video assistant referee (VAR) review, with substitute Zian Flemming emphatically finishing from 12 yards.
Despite late pressure from both sides, neither could find another goal, and City moved six points clear at the top of the table.
Maresca insisted all the credit must go to his players when he was asked about his record-setting day.
"I also understand we give credit to the players," he said.
"They only need to be worried about people inside the club, and I give the credit to them. They are not worried about people who judge from outside, because those are people working to create problems.
"Inside, I promise the players are happy, they're getting credit and I give the credit to them. It's a matter of winning games in this business.
"We were able to win seven in a row and what made me very happy was working day-by-day with the players, the way I can see them improving.
"Today, I thought we controlled the game, created chances and were good off the ball. We are doing well, and I think that's the most important thing."
While Haaland's brace ultimately secured the points for City, Maresca is hoping his side's other scorer, Foden, can reclaim his place as one of the Premier League's best players, having won the competition's player of the season award as recently as 2023-2024.
"With Phil, I have said it many times, I knew him from years ago, and for me, he's one of the best Premier League players," Maresca said.
"And since day one, it's been my duty to help him to be one of the best players again.
"I'm very happy about his goal, and hopefully it can be just the beginning of many goals and good performances."
Ipswich boss Gary O'Neil, meanwhile, was generally positive about his side's performance.
"We did have a go. There are a few things we need to do better, then it's fine margins in a game like that," he said.
"I'm proud of the group. It's not what we came for, and we thought we could take points, so we're disappointed we haven't.
"But the players gave everything. The second goal I'm not happy with, and then there were a few bits that were just fine margins."
