Enzo Maresca did not bother hiding the irritation.
Days after Pro Ref admitted Erling Haaland’s derby winner should have been ruled out, the Manchester City manager turned the spotlight back on officials – and on what he sees as a glaring double standard.
Maresca’s memory of Rashford incident
Pro Ref’s review concluded that Enzo Fernandez was actively interfering with play in the build-up to Haaland’s decisive strike at Old Trafford on Sunday, prompting refereeing chief Howard Webb to express public regret over the VAR process.
Maresca’s response was immediate: what about January 2023?
That night, as Pep Guardiola’s assistant, he watched Marcus Rashford chase a Casemiro pass from a clearly offside position. Rashford never touched the ball, but his run dragged City’s back line out of shape before Bruno Fernandes swept in a 78th‑minute equaliser. United went on to win the derby 2-1. City’s protests fell flat. The goal stood. The title race tilted.
Now, with Webb quick to address the latest controversy, Maresca cannot ignore the contrast.
“I think sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it goes against you,” he said ahead of City’s League Cup tie with Norwich City. “Three years ago when I was here it happened exactly the same against Man United. We lost the derby there. The goal was not a regular goal, if you remember. To be honest, no-one apologised. We are still waiting for the apology for that goal."
That line hung in the air. City, in his view, are only hearing contrition when it suits the narrative.
Frustration as heroics overshadowed
What irks Maresca most is not only the inconsistency, but the timing. His side had just produced one of the most resilient performances of his short reign, playing the bulk of the derby with 10 men after Phil Foden’s red card and still finding a way to win.
“Talking about one episode or one moment after that game when we played for 70, 75 minutes with 10 players I think is … I don’t know the right word, I think it’s quite poor," he said. "The second-half performance was unbelievable.”
He has a point. Reduced to 10, away at Old Trafford, under pressure and still forcing the decisive moment – that is the kind of display managers usually build seasons around. Instead, the conversation has veered back into the familiar swamp of VAR angles, technical directives and retrospective apologies.
The VAR fallout now risks smothering what has been an explosive start to the Maresca era at the Etihad Stadium. City have won all five of their opening Premier League fixtures, brushing aside early doubts about how quickly the squad would adapt to a new voice and a tweaked approach.
No VAR, same City
Now comes a change of rhythm. Norwich City visit the Etihad on Thursday in the League Cup, a competition that runs without VAR in the early rounds. For some coaches, that might invite a more cautious approach. Maresca is having none of it.
He remains adamant his principles will not bend with the technology. The structure, the aggression, the high line – they stay.
What will change is the personnel. With a perfect league record to protect and the schedule already tightening, Maresca is expected to shuffle his pack, protect key players and test the depth of a squad built for multiple fronts. The Cup offers opportunities, but it also demands careful management when every Premier League point feels precious.
Eyes back on the title race
Once Norwich are dealt with, attention snaps back to the domestic charge. Sunderland arrive at the Etihad on Sunday, another chance for City to extend their flawless start and keep rivals chasing shadows.
Maresca wants the story to be about that: the winning run, the response to adversity, the growing authority of a side still learning his demands. Not another week dominated by freeze-frames and mea culpas.
If City keep this pace, if they continue to bend games their way even when the numbers are against them, the question will not be about apologies from three years ago.
It will be who, if anyone, can stop them now.
