Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca don answer people wey criticize how im team celebrate after dem beat Liverpool 3-0 for Anfield on Sunday. Dat match na City first game since independent commission find di club guilty of charges about Premier League financial rules. Maresca ask: ‘Criticised for what? We win 0-3 for Anfield. Wetin you want us do?’
Di goals from Erling Haaland, Jeremy Doku and Rayan Cherki give City di win. After match, Haaland look like e wan cry in front of City fans, including im papa Alf-Inge, while Maresca pump im fist. Some pundits and media question di celebration. Maresca reply for Tuesday news conference before Wednesday Champions League game with Paris St-Germain.
Maresca talk say: ‘We work every day to win games. Na di only thing we dey think and focus on. Di rest na outside things we need deal with, but we happy well well for pitch, and you no fit imagine inside changing room.’ He add say: ‘If I be Arsenal fan or United fan and you be City fan, I go say: hey my friend you cheat. So e probably harder for dem fans, but we happy inside changing room. We celebrate three points becos Anfield no easy.’
Captain Ruben Dias also defend celebration. ‘I stand by manager words. Na win at Anfield. E show how much e mean to us.’ When dem ask am about guilty verdict, Portugal defender talk: ‘We dey very calm and we trust club.’
City don appeal di verdict and dem still deny any wrongdoing. Dem submit appeal on Thursday October 1. Premier League get new rules this season wey say appeal must hear within 12 weeks after dem lodge am. Appeal fit last maximum five days, held over block of days, Monday to Friday. As e stand, five-day appeal by new three-person panel must finish by mid-December. But City fit try delay process by argue say new rules no suppose apply becos dem charge dem in 2023, before new rules.
Maresca talk say he dey calm. ‘I talk many times, I dey completely calm and relaxed. I promise you say I stress well well about game plan and how we train. I no dey stress about things I no control. Message to players go be same. We know how serious di situation be. E no be something we fit do something about. Where we fit do something na inside pitch. Noise around team na big noise but we need try deal with am and make our own noise, to win games.’
Pep Guardiola, wey win 20 trophies during 10 years before he step aside last season, expected to return to Etihad Stadium for Wednesday match. Maresca talk: ‘Dis na im house for 10 years with wetin he do here. E dey exciting for everybody, for fans.’ E no known whether Guardiola go address fans or former players before game. Guardiola post message on social media after former club found guilty: ‘I want every single Manchester City fan across world to know say I dey here; more than ever. Make I clear: we go get through dis together.’
Dias reveal City players hold meeting after news of guilty verdict break on September 29. ‘When e break, we feel say we suppose talk as soon as we return,’ he talk about return from international break. ‘We do am, so everybody dey same page and clear about our peace of mind. We move on from there. E happen when we no dey together but quickly we reach out to each other, find calm and progress forward.’
PSG head coach Luis Enrique talk say City suppose keep all trophies dem win from 2009-18, timeframe of guilty charges. ‘First time you hear, e be surprise,’ he talk. ‘But we need respect process and wait for final decision. Authorities responsible for making these decisions. But speaking only about football, dem deserve those trophies. I love their football. Beyond that, we have to wait for judges decision.’ Luis Enrique play with Guardiola for Barcelona. Dem ask am wetin he go tell former teammate. ‘Nothing serious,’ he talk. ‘Trophies you win on pitch remain on pitch. Dem deserve win that and I hope dem fit avoid sanction. But we have to wait. Things I go tell Pep I go do in private.’ City claim three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and three League Cups in nine-year span.
Sky Sports News Ben Ransom for Maresca press conference talk say: ‘We all see those scenes at Anfield. City fans want show support throughout game to club and players, and players reciprocate when dem score each of three goals in front of dem, and again at end when result confirmed. Dat was all set against backdrop of intense goading from Liverpool fans wey want talk how dem feel about findings of that independent commission. For players, I think e be as much about sending message back to fans at end say dem value their support, but also small bit of dem wanting send message to wider football world, to other clubs in Premier League as well. Dem dey defiant in face of that verdict, certainly while appeal dey ongoing.’
