Enzo Maresca insisted all credit must go to Manchester City’s players after recording the best start of any manager in charge at a Premier League club.
A 3-2 win over Ipswich Town at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday maintained City’s perfect start to the campaign and made Maresca the first manager to win his first seven matches at a club in the competition.
Only under Jose Mourinho in 2005-06 (first nine games) and Jurgen Klopp in 2019-20 (first eight) have Liverpool enjoyed longer winning starts to a Premier League campaign.
Both of those sides went on to win the title in their respective seasons and Maresca couldn’t be more pleased to see his players adapt to his methods.
With so much uncertainty surrounding City, who have been found guilty of “systematically” breaching the Premier League’s financial rules for nine years, the Italian knows it will be easy for them to lose focus.
Asked if he is proud of his personal record, Maresca answered: “Of course, but I also understand that we give credit to the players.
“They only have to worry about people inside the club and I give them credit. They don’t worry about people judging from the outside because those are the people who are working to cause problems.
“Inside I promise the players are happy, they get credit and I give them credit. It’s about winning games in this business.
“We’ve been able to win seven in a row and what I’m really happy about is working with the players day in and day out, the way I’ve been able to see them improve.
“Today I thought we controlled the game, created chances and played well off the ball. We are working well and I think that is the most important thing.”
Seven matches. Seven wins. A record breaking @premierleague start for our manager!
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 17, 2026
Erling Haaland’s goal eventually earned City a point, but Phil Foden opened the scoring in December 2025 by snapping a 23-match drought, the longest goalless streak in the Premier League, against Crystal Palace.
And Maresca is determined to restore Foden’s place as one of the Premier League’s best players by winning the competition’s Player of the Season award for 2023-24.
“I’ve said this to Phil many times, I’ve known him for years and for me he’s one of the best players in the Premier League,” Maresca said.
“And from day one it was my job to help him become one of the best players again.
“I’m delighted with his goal and I hope it can be the start of many goals and good performances.”
Meanwhile, Ipswich boss Gary O’Neill was generally positive about a performance in which the Tractor Boys scored 1.66 expected goals but gave up too many big chances at the other end, allowing City to achieve 3.53 xG.
“We’ve gone. There’s a few things we’ve got to do better, then there’s good margins in a game like this,” O’Neil said.
“I’m proud of the group. It wasn’t because we came for us and we thought we could get a point, so we’re disappointed we didn’t.
“But the players gave everything. I’m not happy with the second goal and then there were a few bits that were just good margins.”