Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has argued that the ongoing debate regarding the VAR decision in the recent derby should not distract from his team’s dominant performance against Manchester United. Despite a controversial moment defining the headlines, Maresca emphasized that City secured a 1-0 victory while playing with ten men for the majority of the match.
The controversy centered on Erling Haaland’s second-half strike, which was initially disallowed for offside but reinstated after a video review. The refereeing organization Pro Ref subsequently acknowledged that the decision to allow the goal was incorrect. However, Maresca maintained that focusing solely on this error ignores the significance of his side’s resilience.
City were reduced to ten players in the 23rd minute after Phil Foden was sent off for kicking out at Bruno Fernandes. Maresca praised his squad’s ability to hold onto the lead under such difficult circumstances.
“To talk about one moment after that game when we played for 70, 75 minutes with 10 players is quite poor,” Maresca told reporters on Wednesday. “I think the performance was unbelievable and I’m pleased.”
The manager acknowledged the official mistake but contextualized it within the broader fluctuations of officiating. “There is knowledge that there was a mistake and that’s all. Sometimes, it goes for you. Sometimes, against you,” he said ahead of Thursday’s League Cup third-round fixture against Norwich City.
Maresca also drew parallels to a previous incident, recalling a 2-1 defeat to United in January 2023 when he was still serving as an assistant coach. He noted that Bruno Fernandes had scored a decisive goal in that match despite Marcus Rashford being in an offside position, a call he argued went unapologized for.
“Three years ago when I was here, it happened the exact same against Manchester United. The goal was not a regular goal, and no one apologised. We are still waiting for the apology for that,” he stated.
Defending the officials, Maresca highlighted the extreme pressure VAR operators face when making split-second judgments. He described errors as an inevitable part of the job, noting that both coaches and players make mistakes as well.
“In 10 seconds, 20 seconds they have to make a decision. It’s not easy for them. Sometimes, they make some mistakes,” he added.
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