At Anfield, where visiting sides are usually measured by the noise as much as the football, Manchester City found the first indication of the reception awaiting them beyond the Etihad Stadium. Their 3-0 win over Liverpool came in the club’s first match since the Premier League, on 29 September, found City guilty on 114 of the 115 charges brought against them.
Enzo Maresca said his players had to face an unusually difficult backdrop on Merseyside, with the developments of the previous two to three weeks hanging over the occasion. Yet he felt the side dealt with the atmosphere and the pressure around it impressively.
“We have to learn how to cope with the noise,” Maresca said after the victory. “This was not an easy game for the players after everything that has happened in the last two or three weeks, but I think they handled it very well.”
The City coach also framed the result as the most effective response available to his team as they prepare for future away fixtures. Rather than allowing hostile surroundings to define their season, he urged them to create their own momentum through results.
“At the same time, we need to make our own noise, and that means winning games, as we did today,” Maresca added. “I can hear our supporters singing a lot.”
