Tactics: How Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca turned the noise to his advantage to thump Liverpool 3-0

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Faced with the righteous fury of Anfield and beyond, knowing that resentment and hostility will be hurled in Manchester City’s direction for the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign, Maresca has adopted the classic siege mentality. City will bring the noise; will fight fire with fire.

It’s the obvious play – but it bumps up against City’s usual tactical setup. It isn’t said often enough (certainly not by tactical analysts) that the psychological and the tactical are symbiotically linked. Mentality triggers tactical battles; tactical preparation sets the emotional tone. For that reason, you wouldn’t expect Maresca – the chess-loving purveyor of calm possession football – to be the right manager to convert indignation into a playing style to match.

That’s what makes the tactical pattern of City’s 3-0 victory at Liverpool so interesting, because putting aside the red herring of Rayan Cherki’s goal – a flowing team move that emphasised City’s man advantage and Liverpool’s broken spirit – here was a new Maresca: direct, forward-thinking, ugly; almost Mourinho-esque in converting a siege mentality into tactical principles.

Long passes were pumped forward, mostly for Erling Haaland to challenge aerially, but some to move the ball quickly into the wingers. City, before the red card especially, decided to bypass Andoni Iraola’s high press and create a wilder contest, essentially leaning into chaos and disorder. It was a radical departure from Maresca norms that stepped up to the unique challenge of playing in limbo and against the backdrop of seething anger.

These are unprecedented times, after all. Maresca was smart and bold to cast aside the more placid football we are used to seeing from his teams. He met the moment, in other words, with direct football that laid the groundwork for Jeremy Doku – the ultimate vertical player, a knife to the heart of defences – to come off the bench and turn the game, first causing the red card and then creating two City goals.

However, it’s important to note that prior to the red card Liverpool were the better side precisely because Man City had been so unusually direct, therefore stretching their own shape lengthways and making the pitch extremely big. Ryan Gravenberch repeatedly galloped straight through the middle, turning Elliot Anderson (often left all alone in midfield) and getting Liverpool into the final third at pace. Had Alexander Isak been fit to make runs ahead of him, the hosts probably would have won the game.

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Man City’s direct style lengthened their own shape, leaving the back three far too deep and disconnected from the midfield. (Image credit: -) Consequently, one simple turn from Gravenberch opened up the entire pitch to Liverpool. (Image credit: -) Image 1 of 2 View Original

That only makes Maresca’s battle plan more curious; more obviously linked to a mentality shift. Historically, Maresca would double down on calm and order for games like these, attempting to suck the life out of more frenetic opposition. That he didn’t, risking collapse, is instructive.

Instead City embraced the noise, telling us Maresca knows his plans went out the window as soon as the verdict came through. The new message, blaring loudly from aggressive tactics, is unrepentance – and freedom.

Watching Haaland recast as a battering ram old-school number nine, and watching Man City fans Poznan with inflatable bananas in hand, it seems both manager and supporters have come to the same conclusion: if this whole thing is about to come crashing down, if fans are going to boo and hiss your every move, well, you may as well let go and have some fun with it. You may as well bring the noise.

Alex Keble Freelance Tactics Writer Alex Keble is a freelance football journalist based in London, specialising in tactical analysis. He has written for BBC Sport, Goal, The Mirror, The Independent, Football 365, and many others. As well as covering Premier League football, Alex works as a child therapist. 

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