Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has dismissed concerns over goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma following a string of errors in the team's 3-2 win over RB Leipzig, while calling on his side to cut out what he described as "silly goals."
Donnarumma errors but Maresca remains confident
Donnarumma made three mistakes during the match, one of which directly led to a Leipzig goal. Despite this, Maresca stood firmly behind his number one, pointing to an outstanding save from Christoph Baumgartner moments before the goalkeeper was beaten at his near post by a cross.
"Not a concern but it's a mistake. We recognise that it's a mistake," Maresca said. "At the moment I'm not thinking about the goalkeeping situation. A few minutes before the goal he's done a save that no keeper in the world makes. Gigio knows he was not good with the first goal. He's going to do better."
Team must avoid silly goals
The manager acknowledged that both goals conceded were avoidable and stressed the need for collective improvement rather than singling out individuals.
"Both goals are quite silly goals we can avoid. We are creating many chances in each game but we need to avoid silly goals. It's about working more. Understand and analyse. I'm new here, I need to know the players and they need to know me. We can only improve."
Maresca also rejected the idea that the defensive issues stem from tactical balance, noting that recent concessions have come from individual errors across competitions.
"I don't think in this moment it's a matter of balance. In the last five or six games we concede in all competitions [and] they are individual mistakes so it's not about the system or a midfielder to the offensive line. It's more individual mistakes that we need to do better to avoid."
