Enzo Maresca Says Both Villa Goals Were Avoidable as Guehi Struggles Again

• Aston Villa ended Manchester City’s perfect Premier League start, and Enzo Maresca admitted both goals Nicolas Jackson scored were avoidable.
• Gianluigi Donnarumma and Marc Guehi have three errors leading to Premier League goals each over the period beginning with the start of last season, a tally only eight players have beaten.
• City have kept one clean sheet in their last six games and face Brighton twice next week.

Maresca Has a Defensive Problem and Two Names Keep Coming Up

Asked whether the two goals Manchester City conceded at Villa Park could have been prevented, Enzo Maresca did not hesitate. “Absolutely, both,” he told TNT Sports.

Nicolas Jackson scored once in each half for Villa in a 2-1 win that ended City’s run of seven straight victories at the start of the season. The result is the trigger, but the talking point after it is City’s back line, and in particular the goalkeeper and the centre-back Maresca pulled off at half-time.

City need “a bit more” luck at times, Maresca said, with Villa having had only those two chances. His side “created a lot of chances” and “played most of the game in their box”, he said, but “you have to be clinical and avoid mistakes like the two goals we conceded.”

The Numbers Behind the Leaks

City have managed one clean sheet in their last six games. The most recent came in their victory at Liverpool two weeks ago, and around that game they have conceded against opponents ranging from Champions League holders Paris St-Germain to Sunderland.

BBC Sport’s City reporter Shamoon Hafez pointed to the individual figures. Counting from the start of last season, only eight players have made more errors leading to Premier League goals than Donnarumma and Guehi, who have three each. Nine goals have gone in against City in their past four matches.

Maresca now meets Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton twice in a week, in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday and in the Premier League on Saturday. City are guaranteed to be in the top two when the weekend ends, but the BBC report says they need to shore up the backline to mount a realistic title challenge.

Donnarumma Under the Microscope

City signed Donnarumma last summer as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, the man to replace Ederson. The Italy captain struggles with the ball at his feet, according to the BBC report, and his passes out from the back often leave teammates in trouble.

At Villa Park, captain Ruben Dias gestured at him to send the ball upfield after Donnarumma failed to control a difficult pass. Jackson’s opening goal was a thumping finish he could do little about, but the second was different. A low shot seemed to squirm under him.

Former City defender Steph Houghton gave her verdict on BBC Radio 5 Live. “Donnarumma, especially with the second goal, could probably have done a little bit better,” she said. She added that she did not want to “take anything away from Villa”, whose gameplan she called “spot on”.

Then there is James Trafford. Maresca sold him to Leeds for £45m in the summer, and the England international has been impressive at Elland Road. Trafford has made more passes than Donnarumma this season, has a slightly better rate at preventing goals and has come out to sweep the ball 11 times against Donnarumma’s one.

Guehi Taken Off at the Break

Guehi arrived from Crystal Palace in January for £20m, a fee that looked like a bargain. This season has been a struggle for the England defender. He was culpable for both Ipswich goals last weekend, then was picked off by John McGinn deep in his own half for Villa’s first. Later in the half he hauled down Jackson on the edge of the box and was booked.

Maresca replaced him at the interval. Abdukodir Khusanov, who started wide and struggled, moved inside, and Rico Lewis came on to fill the gap. Maresca acknowledged afterwards that he needs to “find that balance” in defence.

Asked by BBC Sport whether Guehi’s form is a worry, Maresca was blunt. “No, I’m not worried about Marc at all,” he said. He pointed out that Guehi has played every minute for club and country this season, and that the change was also down to the yellow card. “The way we want to be aggressive sometimes, to have one yellow card can be dangerous but I am not worried at all.”

Guehi’s problems pre-date this season. His loose pass at Everton late last season cost City dearly in the title race, with the draw costing them impetus as Arsenal went on to win the league.

A Hostile Afternoon for the Travelling Fans

Villa supporters gave the travelling City fans constant reminders that their side were “cheats”. The BBC report links the vitriol to the guilty verdict on the club’s financial charges and says it is starting to weigh on the players’ minds.

City sources had said they targeted a right-back in the summer before turning elsewhere, with Khusanov able to cover if Matheus Nunes is unavailable.

Maresca has a week to settle his back four before Hurzeler’s free-scoring Brighton arrive. He has backed Guehi in public but a team that began the season by conceding eight goals in its first nine games is now leaking again. The questions about Donnarumma and Guehi will not go away until the clean sheets return.