Maresca passes credit to Man City players after record-breaking Premier League start

Enzo Maresca insisted all the credit must go to his Manchester City players after recording the best start by any manager in charge of a Premier League club.

Saturday's 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town at the Etihad Stadium maintained City's perfect start to the campaign and made Maresca the first manager to ever win their first seven matches in charge of a club in the competition. 

Only Chelsea under Jose Mourinho in 2005-06 (first nine games) and Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp in 2019-20 (first eight) have ever enjoyed longer winning starts to a Premier League campaign.

Both of those sides went on to win the title in those respective seasons, and Maresca could not have been more pleased with the way his players have adapted to his methods.

With so much off-the-pitch uncertainty surrounding City, who were recently found guilty of "systematically" breaching the Premier League's financial rules over a nine-year period, the Italian knows it would have been easy for them to lose their focus.

Asked if he was proud of his personal record, Maresca said: "Absolutely, but I also understand we give credit to the players. 

"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."

Though it was Erling Haaland's brace that ultimately secured the points for City, Phil Foden opened the scoring, ending his longest-ever run without a Premier League goal, having endured a 23-match drought since netting against Crystal Palace in December 2025.

And Maresca is determined for Foden to 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 2023-24.

"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 a performance in which the Tractor Boys generated 1.66 expected goals but gave up plenty of big chances at the other end, allowing City to rack up 3.53 xG.

"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," O'Neil 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."