Maresca wants 1-0 wins after eight-goal Man City thriller

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca says he would rather win 1-0 than be involved in another high-scoring game after his side beat Sunderland 5-3 on Sunday.

City twice allowed Sunderland to come back into the game before eventually securing all three points at the Etihad Stadium.

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Antoine Semenyo scored twice, while Enzo Fernandez and Rayan Cherki were also on target for City. Erling Haaland sealed the win with a late goal.

Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey scored a hat-trick, but his goals were not enough to earn his side a point.

Maresca was pleased with the victory but unhappy with the way his team defended.

“To be honest, I prefer to win 1-0 than 5-3,” he said after the match.

The Italian manager said two of Sunderland’s three goals were too easy to concede, with both coming from set-piece situations.

He also praised Sunderland for making the game difficult, saying he had expected a tough test because of their aggressive style and attacking threat.

The victory means City have won all five of their Premier League matches this season and moved three points clear at the top of the table.

Maresca, however, said his team still have things to improve, particularly in controlling games and preventing opponents from creating chances.