Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said his players were unfazed by external disturbances and remained focused on the game after the defeat at Aston Villa. On the 27th, the BBC reported on the manager's comments, saying he was confident that his players were "focused on their job" in response to critical chants of "cheating" that City faced.
The main game was held at Villa Park on the 24th in Round 8 of the Premier League, with City losing 1-2. Phrases such as "We should know who we are" were heard during the match, as well as accusations that the club had breached financial regulations. In response, England midfielder Elliott Anderson told TNT Sports that he was prepared to face criticism, saying, ``Everywhere I go, I get the same reaction.''
Maresca said his players had shown in both games against Liverpool and Villa that they were "concentrating on the game and not worrying about the surrounding noise". He said: "We are focused on our job and the players are focused on what they can do on the pitch. If you look at the games against Liverpool and Villa, they are focused on what they can control."
Regarding the hostility away from home, Maresca added, ``I'm not overly concerned. We're just focused on what we need to do to do our best and win the game,'' stressing that they won't be influenced by outside voices. City will aim to maintain the same level of concentration in their upcoming matches and bounce back in the league.
Although City suffered their first defeat of the season, Maresca and his players blocked out the outside noise and focused on the game as they prepared for the next match. It will be interesting to see how their performance in upcoming Premier League matches will show their concentration and team strength.