In the sixth round of the Premier League, Manchester City secured a 3-0 away victory over Liverpool. Following the match, Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca attended a press conference to discuss the team's performance, external media pressure, the unity shown by club management, and his hopes regarding the appeal outcome.

Reporter: Hi Enzo. How do you feel overall today? Tell us about the team bus arriving at the stadium, how the pre-match preparations went, and your thoughts on the match performance itself.

Maresca: Well, before the match, everything was actually quite normal. Moving on to the match itself, I think we struggled a bit in the first half. We defended well without the ball, but for various reasons, we found it difficult to play effectively when we had possession. At halftime, we made some tactical adjustments, and I felt our performance improved significantly in the second half.

Reporter: How much of a difference did Doku make coming off the bench? It seemed like once he came on, the entire dynamics of the game changed.

Maresca: Yes, of course. I think the timing of the substitution was perfect. The opposition received a red card, Haaland broke the deadlock, and then Jérémy came on to stretch the play. Many positive factors came together. But again, as you know, after what's happened over the last two or three weeks, it hasn't been easy for the players, but I think they handled all the circumstances very well.

Reporter: Regarding the difficult circumstances for the players, how challenging has it been for you to lead the team amid all these external distractions?

Maresca: Well, I want to reiterate, as I emphasized midweek, that given the current situation, we must learn how to deal with external noise because that noise will always be there. We must learn to stay calm and handle it, but at the same time, we also need to ensure our own voice is heard—and that voice is winning matches, as we did today. Because when the final whistle blows, our fans sing loudly, so at that moment, the voice belongs to us, not to the external media environment.

Reporter: How much does this victory lift the team's morale, and does it unite the players and fans?

Maresca: Yes, a 3-0 away victory without reply at Anfield is undoubtedly a brilliant result. I think at this moment, the entire club needs to win, needs a big victory like today. So this is hugely significant for our coaching staff, the players, the fans, and club management. I believe such a victory injects tremendous momentum throughout the entire club.

Reporter: Regarding the noise you just mentioned, do you expect similar external distractions throughout the rest of the season, especially in away matches?

Maresca: Yes, look, again, I think all away matches going forward will be filled with external distractions. That's why I say we must learn to deal with this noise, but at the same time, we must make our own voice heard. Our voice is the sound of celebration when the final whistle blows, with our fans and the entire team celebrating together; that must be our only focus at this stage.

Reporter: By the way, Ferran Soriano arrived at the stadium with you on the team bus today. What message was the club trying to send?

Maresca: Absolutely. Ferran was here, Hugo Viana was present, and don't forget Khaldoon Al Mubarak was also overseeing things. They were all there, and we all stood together united. Given the significance of this match—playing away against Liverpool at Anfield—I think it was a very good decision for the entire club management to be present and show unity. This cohesion is what we need at this stage.

Reporter: The club has shown this resilience off the pitch, and I imagine you're also demanding the players show the same fighting spirit on the pitch?

Maresca: Of course, that's exactly right. As I just said, we struggled a bit in the first half because of various factors and realities both on and off the pitch—it's not easy dealing with all of that. But in the second half, we started very well. Yes, I'm very, very pleased to have secured all three points.

Reporter: Can I ask one more question? Haaland scored today, and Rúben Dias led the defense. How important are these experienced veterans to you in leading the team through the critical period ahead?

Maresca: They've been very important from day one, not just because of current media pressure. I said midweek that perhaps as media, you'd like to hear a different answer, but what the players do is simply focus completely on football itself. They don't overthink external rumors, and they're not worried about what might happen in the future. They're at the peak of their careers at twenty, twenty-five, twenty-eight years old, and everyone is simply dedicated to what they love—playing well, and nothing more.

Reporter: Enzo, is the manner of victory as important as the victory itself? This is undoubtedly a strong statement, isn't it? A 3-0 away win at Anfield—not many away teams manage to do that here. In terms of sending a message, is such a convincing manner of victory just as crucial as the win itself?

Maresca: Absolutely, that's exactly it. From three days ago when everyone returned from international duty and the team regrouped, the message I conveyed to the entire squad was very clear: friends, external noise will certainly exist, because if I said "there's no noise out there," that would be completely untrue. Noise will inevitably follow. Therefore, the key is how we learn to adapt and deal with it, but at the same time, our responsibility is to make our own strongest voice heard. And our voice is winning matches like today and fully enjoying this joy at the end of the match.

Reporter: Enzo, is it difficult to completely shake off the shadow of this entire situation? Like the constant noise you mentioned, everyone is talking about it. You clearly want to fully enjoy a decisive victory like that, but there's still the possibility at the end of the season...

Maresca: No, not at all. You can't imagine how happy I am right now. I'm completely unfazed by external comments. I came here to prepare diligently and win matches, so I'm not distracted by any of that. I've said it many times, and I hope that once we finally win this appeal, I can speak about it freely. Thank you all.

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