Maresca is pleased with Manchester City’s opening to the Premier League season, but says his players are still looking for more victories. He has also warned against ruling any potential title rivals out of the race after only seven rounds.
“The atmosphere is very good. I’ve said it many times – the atmosphere is good. We’re happy with our start, but we’re hungry for more wins. We’re happy right now, but we want more,” the Italian said, according to ESPN.
City have made a strong start to the campaign and were top of the table in the report, but Maresca is not ready to draw conclusions about the title race. With so much of the season still to come, he believes the early standings offer little basis for writing off challengers.
“It’s too early [to say that some teams are out of the title race]. There have only been seven rounds, and there are many games left. It’s too early,” he said.
Maresca was more emphatic when discussing Rayan Cherki, whom he believes can become one of Europe’s leading players if City consistently find him in the right spaces between opposition lines.
“If we can keep him there, and if we manage to find him between the lines – that is, in the right position – then I think he is one of the best players in Europe,” Maresca said.
Cherki, 23, had scored four goals and supplied two assists in six Premier League appearances at the time of the original report. The Frenchman’s output has made him an influential part of City’s attack, but Maresca’s assessment focused on the positions in which he receives possession.
Finding Cherki between the lines can help City play through compact defences and create openings for teammates making forward runs. The manager’s challenge is to keep providing those situations while sustaining the form that has put his side near the top of the table.
For Maresca, the early results are a reason for satisfaction, not complacency. City have given themselves a strong start, but the manager is clear that the title race remains open and that his team must keep improving.