Maresca says Manchester City players remain focused amid hostile away crowds

Enzo Maresca says Manchester City's players have remained focused despite hostile receptions away from home following the club's financial-rules verdict. Speaking to BBC Sport, the manager pointed to performances at Liverpool and Aston Villa as evidence that his squad was concentrating on football. City are awaiting sanctions and the outcome of their appeal.

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City suffered their first Premier League defeat of the season at Villa on Saturday. Before that match, midfielder Elliot Anderson acknowledged to TNT Sports that the team had been encountering antagonism wherever they travelled. Villa Park was City's second away league venue since the independent commission announced its decision, BBC Sport reported.

Maresca said his players were concentrating on matters within their control. Defender Marc Guéhi had also acknowledged that outside criticism could affect players, while saying the squad's attention remained on its football. The manager maintained his support for the defender after the Villa defeat.

The Guardian separately reported Maresca's backing for goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma after mistakes against Villa and Paris Saint-Germain. Nicolas Jackson's long-range effort went underneath Donnarumma at Villa Park, while errors against PSG contributed to goals for Désiré Doué and Maghnes Akliouche in a 4-2 Champions League defeat earlier this month. Maresca said mistakes were part of a season in which players accumulated heavy workloads.

Maresca also defended Guéhi's response to setbacks, describing him as a leader and one of City's captains. The Guardian reported that Guéhi had been involved in Villa's opening goal and had conceded a late penalty in City's previous league match, a 3-2 victory over Ipswich. Maresca said both the defender and Donnarumma recognised their errors without needing those mistakes to be pointed out.

The manager has meanwhile given five players three days off to recover their energy following the Villa game. According to the Guardian, Donnarumma, Erling Haaland, Rúben Dias, Elliot Anderson and Josko Gvardiol were granted the break. Donnarumma will be rested against Brighton in the Carabao Cup, with Geronimo Rulli due to deputise. Maresca said the intention was for those players to return with renewed energy.