“Then they are one of the best teams in terms of transition,” added Maresca on Liverpool. “We concede from that transition but, for me, today was important. The result is always important, for sure, of course, but it was important to take a look at the players, to see how they take on the idea, and they were good.
“We created two or three chances against this team. It’s enough sometimes to score without making that many chances. It was very good, but then we concede a goal. When you do that against this sort of player, this team, it’s always dangerous.”
On the bright start made by his team and the encouragement that can be taken from this, Pep Guardiola’s former assistant at Manchester City continued: “I think it was quite clear. Not only in the first half an hour, but also in the second half, the team always tried to find solutions, to play and it even surprised me because I was sure that the players and the team are getting better, but I didn’t expect to see the way we played in the first half an hour. It was very good.
“I’ve said to the players, now we have a rest, one or two days with family after 10 days away and then we start the week on Tuesday, focused already on our first Championship game.”
