Enzo Maresca fired back at critics of Manchester City’s post‑match celebrations at Anfield, insisting the club’s players have every right to react to a win in their own way. The Italian manager, who has been under scrutiny since the club was found guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules, told reporters on Tuesday that the team’s 3‑0 victory over Liverpool was a moment of pure joy for those on the pitch. “We won 3‑0 at Anfield, what do you want us to do?” Maresca said. “Even if it was 1‑0, it would be exactly the same. We work every day to win games. It’s the only thing that we can think of. The rest is just things from outside that we need to deal with, but we were so happy inside the pitch and you cannot imagine inside the changing room.”
City’s captain Rúben Dias echoed the manager’s sentiment, stressing that the players should be allowed to show their emotions after a hard‑fought match. “I very much stand by the manager’s words,” Dias said. “I think we will enjoy it just as much and celebrate however it feels in the moment. It will be a show of how much it means to us.” He added that the squad remains calm and trusts the club’s leadership, even as they appeal the independent commission’s verdict that led to the club’s punishment.
The celebrations at Anfield came after City’s first game since the guilty verdict, a decision the club has appealed. The match ended in a decisive 3‑0 win for City, a result that the players celebrated in the stadium’s dressing room and on the pitch. Maresca acknowledged that the club’s future is uncertain but said the players have been able to stay focused despite the pressure from fans and the media. “Probably it has been more tough for our fans than for the players or for me because it's more complicated,” he said. “If I am an Arsenal fan or United fan and you are a City fan I say ‘hey, my friend you cheat.’ So it is probably more tough for them, but we were happy inside the changing room. We were very happy celebrating the three points because it is very difficult at Anfield.”
City will return to the Etihad Stadium for their first home fixture since the verdict, hosting reigning European champions Paris Saint‑Germain on Tuesday. The club’s manager and captain both stressed that the team’s focus remains on the game, and that the emotional release after a win is a natural part of the sport. As the appeal process continues, City’s players appear to be keeping their composure, while the club’s supporters grapple with the implications of the financial ruling.