Manchester City are operating in an increasingly hostile environment in the Premier League.
Protests over what could become the biggest punishment in English football history continue to surface on matchdays. Meanwhile, Enzo Maresca and his players have set a record not seen since the competition was rebranded in the 1990s.
There appears to be no better team in the Premier League right now than Manchester City. The Skyblues defeated Ipswich Town in the latest game to establish a record not seen in more than 30 years. No team managed by a debutant head coach had ever started the competition with seven consecutive victories. The Italian has even surpassed Pep Guardiola's start at the Etihad.
The Manchester side defeated newly promoted Ipswich Town 3-2. It was a game full of twists and turns in which Erling Haaland once again proved crucial in securing all three points. Maresca's first seven matches have produced seven wins, including several significant victories against direct rivals in the title race.
Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Coventry City, Manchester United, Sunderland, Liverpool, and Ipswich Town: these are the teams Manchester City has defeated consecutively in the Premier League so far. All this happens during the first season without Guardiola in more than 10 years. The Italian is building a powerful team with an extraordinary appetite for success.
“In this business, the first thing is to win matches, so I am very happy with the seven consecutive victories. But what makes me happiest is the day-to-day work with the players, how they train and seeing their progress,” the Italian manager said when reflecting on the weekend's match. He is surpassing the records set by several of the most prominent managers who arrived in the Premier League hoping to establish a dynasty.
Manchester City will now turn their attention back to the UEFA Champions League. On Tuesday, the English side will host AEK Athens on matchday three of the league phase. The Skyblues won their opening matches against Porto away from home but subsequently suffered a heavy home defeat against Luis Enrique's Paris Saint-Germain. They need to carry their domestic consistency into European competition.
No manager making his Premier League debut had ever started the season with seven consecutive wins. Manchester City are beginning to establish themselves as serious title contenders. After their match against the Greek side, they will face another major test on October 24, when they travel to Birmingham to take on Aston Villa on matchday eight. Maresca has emerged as one of the standout managers of the Premier League season so far.
