Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca has defended his players' celebrations after the club's 3-0 victory at Liverpool, responding to criticism from pundits and the media with the question: "What do you want us to do?"
The win at Anfield was City's first game since an independent commission found the club guilty of charges relating to breaches of Premier League financial rules. Erling Haaland appeared close to tears in front of City's fans, including his father Alf-Inge, while Maresca pumped his fists in jubilation. Asked to explain the criticism, Maresca replied: "Criticised for what? We work every day to win games. It's the only thing that we can think about and be focused on."
Maresca also suggested that rival supporters would see the situation differently. "If I am an Arsenal fan or United fan and you are a City fan I say: 'hey, my friend you cheat'," he said. "So it is probably more tough for them, but we were happy inside the changing room." Captain Ruben Dias backed his manager, saying the celebration "was a show of how much it means to us," and added that the club remained "very calm" and trusted the club's position.
City have appealed against the verdict and will face Paris St-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, their first home match since the ruling. Former manager Pep Guardiola, who delivered 20 trophies in 10 years before stepping aside last season, is expected to return to the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola posted on social media: "Let me be clear: we will get through this together."
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing