Man City players can block out ‘noise’ of away fans – Maresca

Manchester City endured their inaugural Premier League loss of the campaign at a raucous Aston Villa on Saturday, amid lingering echoes of their financial penalties. The stadium rang with boisterous chants, including the word "cheating" in reference to City's guilty verdict over breaches of the Premier League's financial rules. While the team business as usual while awaiting the sanction and the appeal outcome, midfielder Elliot Anderson admitted the visitors would face a hostile crowd.

"Yes, probably," he said to TNT Sports before the match. City's recent away games have been marked by aggression from opposition fans, with Liverpool supporters also making their displeasure known during their visit to Anfield. The travelling players have openly acknowledged receiving flak, but manager Enzo Maresca remains confident that his side will not be swayed by the noise.

Maresca highlighted the team's focus on performing on the pitch, stating, "We played Liverpool away, Villa away, and the players showed that they don't care about noise." Defender Marc Guehi previously warned that it can be "very easy to listen to the noise" and be "affected by everything going on," but emphasized the team's focus on football.

Maresca praised Guehi, calling him a "top guy," and assured that any mistakes would be acknowledged. The traveling support has countered the hostile environment with self-deprecating humor, responding to chants with "we know what we are" and "City's going down with a billion in the bank." Following back-to-back home games against Brighton in the Carabao Cup and Premier League, City will face RB Leipzig in the Champions League before travelling to Nottingham Forest in the league on November 7th.

Despite the financial sanctions, which the club previously faced in 2024 for breaching financial rules, Forest fans are unlikely to show much sympathy towards City's predicament.