Manchester City's manager Enzo Maresca looks on during the English Premier League match between City and Sunderland
Enzo Maresca has guided his Manchester City side to seven straight wins to start the season
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Midway through the second half, Manchester City were patiently building up play in the middle third of the pitch. The Blues were leading 4-3 in a chaotic contest and the players seemed content to take the sting out of the game and try and restore some calm to what had been a scarcely believable hour or so of football.
But Enzo Maresca was throwing his hands up in frustration in the technical area. He was not impressed by what was unfolding and, after a quick drink while Sunderland made a substitution, he raced onto the pitch to impart some tactical advice to his troops.
The City boss has generally exuded calm pitchside since taking the Etihad job, watching on with not so much as a flicker. There was the dashing dart down the touchline at Old Trafford, but while the game has been going on, the Italian has mostly observed the action pretty stoically. Not so on Sunday.
It was comfortably the most animated Maresca had been on the sidelines and while it was nothing like the antics of other Premier League managers, or indeed as frantic as his predecessor could be, it was evident that the City chief was frustrated by what was unfolding.
His side were bullied by Brian Brobbey at the back, lost all control in midfield and were it not for their attacking enterprise, could have easily seen their 100% record ended.
Going forward, City were at times magical; they scored five and could have had more. But they gave up countless chances at the other end, and Sunderland’s XG was 4.15 compared to City’s 2.72 in one indicator of how defensively suspect the Blues were. They conceded more shots, more shots on target and three goals at home for the first time in 18 months.
Yet City won. And they continue to win. That is seven on the spin now since the 3-0 defeat in the Community Shield and Maresca’s men are sitting pretty at the top of the Premier League table, three points clear of title favourites Arsenal.
But Maresca wants more: he is pleased to see his side start the way they have, and believes the way they have battled to victories bodes well for the rest of the season as the new look Blues continue to develop and grow.
Yet the fact that the Blues boss opened his post match press conference by saying he’d prefer to win 1-0 than 5-3, showed that Sunday’s eight-goal thriller was not the type of game he wants to see unfold on a regular basis.
City now have a three week break as international football takes centre stage. Maresca was animated on Sunday, but now he will relax, reflect and review. There is more to come from this City side.