First win of the Maresca era
Your team got it done. Manchester City beat the K-League All-Stars to seal the first win of the post-Pep era, and Enzo Maresca liked what he saw (2) (4). The result matters. After the 1–2 loss to Aston Villa that closed last season and the Bournemouth draw before it, any kind of winning feeling is welcome.
Maresca's verdict
The new boss was full of praise for the performance (4). No grudging acceptance. Maresca singled out the squad's application in a pre-season that already feels different to the Guardiola years. Phil Foden has spoken warmly about the tactical tweaks, and you can see the early signs taking shape.
Echeverri gets another run
Claudio Echeverri came off the bench again in the friendly (3). His future is still unresolved, but the minutes keep stacking up. Maresca clearly wants a proper look at the Argentine before any decision is made.
Monga arrives, eyes on Hazard
Jeremy Monga has completed his £10m move from Leicester (1). The teenager has already said he wants to emulate Eden Hazard. That is a big name to carry, but he made his debut in this match and the early impression is positive.
Fan reactions
Fans were buzzing about the quickfire goals. Aït-Nouri opened the scoring inside ten minutes, then Reijnders and Mubama struck in a four-minute burst to make it 3–1 before the half-hour mark. The rhythm of those goals had supporters talking, and Divin Mubama's finish drew plenty of attention. Watch Mubama's goal here.
